Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1363129
11 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 18 APRIL 2021 NEWS JAMES DEBONO THE Maltese say they are among the most likely to have witnessed online political as well as intimidation, according to a survey by Eurobarometer carried out in November 2020, but published in the past days. The survey shows that three in four in Malta have "person- ally witnessed" or have been exposed to political disinfor- mation online – the third-high- est in Europe. The same survey shows that 51% of respondents in all EU member states have had the same experience. This proportion is the highest among respondents in Estonia (86%), Czechia (77%) and Mal- ta (74%). The high percentage of respondents fearing misin- formation in Baltic and Eastern European countries reflects long standing concerns with Russian interference. This majority is smaller in the Netherlands (49%), Poland and Bulgaria (both 49%). Converse- ly, a minority of respondents hold this view in five Member States: in Austria (31%), Italy (33%), Portugal (39%), Germa- ny (40%) and Romania (47%). Europeans who position themselves on the left of the political spectrum are the most likely to believe to have expe- rienced disinformation online (57%), compared with those on the right (48%) or in the centre (49%). In most member states, only a minority of Internet-using re- spondents think that they have been exposed online to intim- idation of politicians through threats or hateful messages, with the lowest proportions in Portugal (15%), the Neth- erlands (16%), Italy (17%) and Finland (17%). This minority is larger in Sweden (46%), Malta (39%), Czechia and Romania (both 38%). However, a majority of respondents consider that they have been exposed to such in- timidation in only two coun- tries, namely Estonia (57%) and Slovakia (52%). The survey also shows that the Maltese are among the least likely in Europe to fear that elections can be influenced by criminal groups or foreign ac- tors. The greatest fear of this happening is found in Czechia (79%), Lithuania (76%) and Ro- mania (74%). The least to fear to fear interference by foreign actors and criminal groups are the Austrians (41%), the Ger- mans (43%) and the Maltese (45%). The survey also showed that 53% of the Maltese have been exposed to content where you could not easily determine whether it was a political ad- vertisement or not. This is far higher than the 37% of all re- spondents in the EU 27. The survey also shows that a 63% of Maltese would be more likely to vote if in view of the Coronavirus pandemic, they are given the option of voting on-line or by post, in view of the health concerns related to the Coronavirus pandemic. But 69% of Maltese respondents would be concerned on the risk of fraud and cyber-attacks if this were the case, 63% of all EU respondents shared this concern. Over 70% claim to have been exposed to online disinformation Respondents who witnessed online misinformation Estonia 86% Czechia 77% Malta 74% Latvia 72% Lithuania 71% EU 27 51% Respondents who witnessed online political intimidation Estonia 57% Slovakia 52% Sweden 46% Malta 39% Romania 38% EU 27 24% OVER 50 YEARS OLD? APPLY FOR THE COVID19 VACCINE VACCIN.GOV.MT OR SEND YOUR ID CARD NUMBER BY SMS ON: 99180045 99180044 TO GET VACCINATED IN MALTA TO GET VACCINATED IN GOZO