Germany: 67% of women say they self-censor online due to harassment

More than two-thirds of women in Germany restrict their behaviour online for fear of digital violence, according to a new survey published on Monday.

Some 67% of women aged between 18 and 74 questioned on behalf of the National Council of German Women's Organizations said they share fewer pictures online out of concern they could be used against them, or no longer engage in certain activities online fearing they might experience harassment.

The share was even higher among women aged 18 and 39, at 76%.

Three out of 10 women surveyed said they personally know someone who had images of them, either real or fake, shared without their consent.

Some two-thirds of women said they feel they need to be more cautious online than men, while 56% said they consider themselves to be part of a group that is particularly at risk of suffering from online violence.

Women who have suffered violence or sexualized violence online before are particularly likely to change their online behaviour, with 73% reporting behavioural changes, compared to 57% who hadn't experienced violence online.

Every fifth woman aged 18 and 39 reported having encountered sexualized deepfake images of themselves.

Some 86% of respondents agreed that online platforms need to do more to protect women from harassment and sexualized violence online.

The council noted that not just online violence itself, but the fear of being targeted causes women to restrict their activities online.

"It forces women into preventative self-restraint: less visibility, less interaction, less participation."