Most abuse messages target social, political and sexual orientations.
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Young Europeans remain highly vulnerable to online hate.
In 2023, 49% of the EU population aged 16 to 29 encountered online messages considered hostile towards certain groups or individuals.
The highest rates were found in Estonia (69%), Denmark (68%), Finland (68%), France (65%) and Slovakia (65%).
Twelve of the 23 countries with available data have recorded rates above 50%, Eurostat reports.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, Croatia (24%), Romania (27%), and Bulgaria (31%) are the only countries where less than a third of the population was exposed to hate speech.
In most cases, hate speech was linked to political or social views, with an average of 35% across the EU. This category was the largest in Estonia (60%), Finland (56%) and Denmark (49%).
Hostile messages targeting the LGBTQ+ community reached an average of 32% of young adults in the EU. The highest percentages were recorded in Estonia (46%), Slovakia, and Portugal (44%).
Also, 30% of young adults in the EU faced racial hate messages, with the Netherlands and Portugal being the most affected countries, each reporting 45%.