In 2025, Cyprus internet users demonstrated a growing awareness of their online privacy, with 69.8 per cent taking action to manage access to their personal data. This figure, while significant, still places Cyprus below the European Union average of 76.9 per cent, according to a recent report from Eurostat.
The report highlights a broader trend across the EU, where a majority of internet users are increasingly proactive about protecting their personal information. Notably, 58.8 per cent of EU users opted out of their personal information being used for advertising, while 56.2 per cent limited or denied access to their geographical location. These figures reflect a 4.5 and 5.4 percentage point increase, respectively, from 2023.
Furthermore, concerns over social media privacy have led to tighter controls on profiles and shared online storage. Approximately 46 per cent of EU internet users have restricted access to their profiles, marking a 5 percentage point rise in this behaviour over the same period.
The growing caution among users is also evident in their approach to website security. Around 39 per cent of users checked that a website was secure before sharing personal data, a notable increase of 4.2 percentage points. Meanwhile, 37.6 per cent of users reported reading privacy policy statements beforehand, showing a more modest rise of 1.7 percentage points.
When comparing data protection practices across the EU, Finland stands out with the highest levels of awareness. A remarkable 92.6 per cent of Finnish users are taking protective measures, followed closely by the Netherlands at 91.2 per cent and Czechia at 90.3 per cent. In contrast, Romania recorded the lowest levels of data protection engagement at 56 per cent, followed by Slovenia at 57.4 per cent and Bulgaria at 62 per cent.
