Key findings

• Pages: 4-5

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Illegal content online

June 2018

Report

Flash Eurobarometer 469

KEY FINDINGS

The majority of respondents (65%) do not agree that the Internet is safe for its users.

!!A larg e majo rity of respondents (90%) agree arrangements need t o be in place to limit the

spread of illegal content on the Internet, and, similarly

!!A large majority of respondents (85%) agree freedom of expres sion needs to be pr otected

online.

!!Less than half of the respondents (44%) agree Internet hosting services are effective in

tackling illegal content.

Most respondents undertake a wide rang e of activities online.

!!Among the seven categories of online activities considered, the more common among

respondents are watching videos, live streaming or listening to music (76%), online shopping

(72%) or using online social networks (70%), while the least common is using collaborative

economy platforms (32%).

!!The most likely activities to be undertaken on a daily basis are using social networks (44%),

watching videos, live-streaming or listening to music (31%).

!!A large majority of respondents (91 %) undertakes at least one of the online activities

considered.

The majority (61%) of respondents6 say they have encountered some type of illegal

content online.

!!Amongst respondents who use a t least one of the online activities considered, over six in te n

(61%) answered that they have encountered some type of illegal content while using these

services.

!!In 17 countries scams, frauds, subscri ption tr aps or o ther ill egal co mmercial practices are the

most commonly form of illegal c ontent encountered, w hile in 9 count ries it is hate speech. In

one country pirated content is the type of illegal content most likel y to be encountered by

respondents, while in another country respondents are equally likely to mention hate speech

and pirated content.

Amongst respondents that have e ncountered illegal content while online, just over

one in five (21%) informed the Internet service hosting this content, while 9% directly

contacted the person or organisation who uploaded the content, and 8% alerted the police or

relevant authorities.

•!In less than half (45%) of the cases, respondents who took action afte r seein g

illegal content, say the content was taken down.

•!Amongst respondents who notified the hosting service provider about the illegal content

encountered, over six in te n (64%) say the y were satisfied with the respons e th ey

received.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6 Amongst respondents who under take at least one of the online activitie s considered.