KEAN survey: Half of Cypriots spend over three hours a day on social media

KEAN has conducted a survey on Cypriots’ social media use and it has found that over half of Cypriot internet users (55%) spend over three hours a day on social media, while 26% admitted to spending in excess of five hours.

According to the company’s Let’s Get Real survey, almost all young people (96%) aged 18-35 use social media, with 44% posting content daily or 1-3 times a week, and 80% of those sharing private photos and videos.

Instagram is the most popular network among Cypriots, with 87% listing it as their favourite, followed by Facebook (81%) and then TikTok (45%), Viber (24%) and YouTube (23%). X, formerly known as Twitter, garners just 16% of users, having historically not being very popular among the Cypriot public.

The vast majority of Cypriots, 80%, get updated on the news through social media, by reading the news items that appear on their newsfeed based on the algorithm. It is noted that based on Datareportal data, in Cyprus, which counts 1.26 million residents, 90% (1.14 million) use the internet and 87% (1.10 million) are active on social media.

Social/psychological impact

Experts have long been warning about the negative impact social media can have on people’s social lives but also their mood, and this is reflected in KEAN’s study. Almost half of social media users said they use filters on their posts, with 4 out of 10 claiming this has a negative or very negative impact on their self-esteem, while 1 in 4 youths aged 18-24 said they feel under pressure to use filters.

Over half of respondents agree with the view that filters are affecting their perception of beauty standards, with 1 in 5 saying they have received negative comments about their appearance.

It is also evident that they are affected by the popularity of their posts, with 83% stating that they check their account for new likes or comments, though the frequency varies. Furthermore, 1 in 10 said they felt under pressure to present a specific image on social media in order to receive more likes, while 1 in 5 admitted that the number of likes they receive affects their self-esteem. Just over a quarter of respondents said they compare their amount of likes with other acquaintances, while 3 in 10 confessed that they generally compare themselves to others. 13% admitted to taking down a post or photo because it didn’t receive enough likes.

Asked whether comparing themselves to others on social media affects their mood or self-esteem, 24% said it affects how they perceive beauty and body image, 22% said it raised negative emotions, while 16% believe they are not as beautiful as others. Also, 10% feel like they need to look perfect and present a specific image, 10% feel anxious or depressed, 9% believe they are not popular enough compared to others and 6% admitted to feeling jealously and envy by comparing themselves with others on social media. In conclusion, 6 in 10 respondents said social comparisons on social media negatively affects their mood or self-esteem, with the remaining 40% saying they are not affected at all.

A quarter say they experienced or witnessed online harassment

There were also some concerning findings when it comes to online harassment, with a quarter of those asked saying they have experienced or witnessed it happening on social media. The majority (36%) said they experienced or witnessed insults or offensive comments, either through private messages or public comments, 34% witnessed stalking or harassment, while 29% sexual harassment or trolling, and 21% discrimination or hate rhetoric. 14% said they witnessed or experienced bullying or threats, 11% saw their personal data or identity being leaked (so-called Doxxing), while 5% said they had to deal with a fake profile or scam.

Another worrying revelation was that 12% have fallen victim to or witnessed revenge porn.

As a result of this harassment, 53% of young people said they broke off contact with the other person, 17% reported the harassment to the platform’s administrators, 13% discussed it with a friend or family member, 9% stopped using social media altogether, 9% took legal action and 4% sought the help of experts. Just 2% changed their passwords. And over a fifth of those asked (21%) did absolutely nothing.

The Let’s Get Real survey was conducted by IMR and University of Nicosia on behalf of KEAN over the months of April and May 2023, on a sample of 1,000 people island-wide, men and women aged 18-35 years old. The interviews were held over the phone and followed a structured questionnaire.

The findings of the survey were presented during an event in Limassol, which was coordinated by presenter and radio producer Louis Patsalides. The panel comprised Maria Kola, President of the Youth Board of Cyprus, Eve Lambrou (academic), Panagiotis Proestos (psychologist), Maria Voutsa (academic) and Polys Xinaris (social media adviser).