Cyprus Leads EU in Social Network Use Among Youth

Cyprus has recorded the highest rate of social network usage among young people in the European Union, with 98.25% of individuals aged 16 to 29 reporting active use in 2025, according to data released by Eurostat.

The findings place Cyprus at the top of a comparison involving 19 EU member states. Other countries with high youth engagement include Czechia at 97.2%, Denmark at 96.9%, and Finland at 96.6%. At the lower end of the spectrum, Italy reported the lowest youth usage rate at 80.3%, followed by Germany at 84.2% and Luxembourg at 84.8%.

Across the entire European Union, the average usage rate for the 16-to-29 age group stood at 89.3% in 2025. This figure is significantly higher than the general population’s usage rate of 67.3%, indicating a pronounced generational divide in digital engagement across the bloc.

Demographic Trends in Cyprus

In Cyprus, the disparity between youth and the general population is among the smallest in the EU. While 98.3% of young people use social networks, 86.5% of the general population does the same, resulting in a gap of 11.8 percentage points. By comparison, Croatia recorded the largest divide at 29.2 percentage points, where 90.7% of youth used these platforms compared to 61.5% of the general population. Austria and Poland followed with gaps of 28.2, and 27.2 percentage points, respectively.

Gender-specific data for Cypriot youth aged 16-29 shows a slight variation, with 98.31% of men and 98.17% of women reporting usage. In the 25-64 age bracket, usage rates were 89.28% for men and 91.10% for women.

Eurostat data further indicates that social network adoption remains high among older demographics in Cyprus. Usage rates were recorded at 94.72% for those aged 35-44, 88.34% for those aged 45-54, 77.75% for those aged 55-65, and 57.70% for those aged 65-74.

Institutional Context and EU Presidency

These digital trends coincide with Cyprus holding the EU Council Presidency from January 1 to June 30, 2026, under the motto “An Autonomous Union. Open to the World.” A primary pillar of the Presidency is the advancement of youth-friendly policies designed to increase trust and active participation among young Europeans.

As part of this agenda, Cyprus is concluding the Poland–Denmark–Cyprus Trio Programme for the 11th Cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue, which focuses on the goal of “Connecting EU with Youth.” This initiative aims to translate youth contributions into concrete policy recommendations to strengthen the relationship between young citizens and EU institutions.

From March 17 to 20, 2026, Lefkosia (Nicosia) will host the EU Youth Conference. The event will bring together youth delegates, policymakers, and experts to conduct eight workshops focused on creating more transparent and accessible public policies. The recommendations generated during these sessions are scheduled to inform a Council Resolution that will conclude the 11th cycle and contribute to the revision of the EU Youth Strategy Work Plan for 2025–2027.