Social media are an integral part of the lives of people living in Cyprus, with 90% of the population being active internet users and 87% engaging with various social media platforms, according to a recent study conducted by the University of Nicosia and IMR.
The research findings reveal that more than half of these users, a substantial 55%, dedicate over three hours of their day to social media. The platform of choice for the majority is Instagram, with an 87% usage rate, closely followed by Facebook at 81%, and TikTok at 45%.
When asked if they use social media, a mere 5% of individuals in the 18-24 age bracket responded negatively. In the 25-35 age group, only 2% claimed to abstain from social media. Gender-wise, only 6% of males professed non-use, while a mere 1% of females declared themselves non-users of social networking platforms.
Concerning the content shared, a significant 78% of survey participants disclosed that they predominantly share photos and videos from their personal lives. Of note is the fact that almost half of social media users add filters to their posts, and 4 in 10 admit that filter usage has a detrimental impact on their self-esteem.
Furthermore, 83% revealed that they routinely monitor their accounts for new likes or comments. Shockingly, one in ten respondents confessed to feeling compelled to project a specific image on social media in pursuit of garnering more likes, underscoring the influence of likes on their self-presentation.
A notable finding from the research is that 1 in 5 young people believe that the number of likes they receive affects their self-esteem, while 3 out of 10 young individuals acknowledge comparing themselves to others on social media platforms.
Regarding to online harassment, the study reported that 3 out of 10 individuals have either experienced or witnessed incidents of sexual harassment.
Conducted by the University of Nicosia and IMR on behalf of KEAN, the survey involved 1000 participants from all corners of Cyprus aged 18-35. Data collection was accomplished through telephone interviews and structured questionnaires during April and May 2023.
