Media

Agcom: Italians connected, exposed and unprepared in the age of digital hatred

Report on 'Media and digital literacy needs'. Half of Italians exposed to online hate and disinformation, but only a few know how to react

by Andrea Biondi

3 July 2025

4' min read

Key points

The Disinformation Node
Digital illiteracy
Families to the test
Lack of critical thinking
The long shadow of revenge porn
The contrast is there, but not enough

4' min read

Italy sails on the web. In full sail, without a course. It scrolls through feeds, clicks, comments, shares. But it does not know where it is going. And often it does not even know what it is looking at. And so, in the country where 90% of people access the Internet every day, one in two has ended up exposed to episodes of hate, fake news, revenge porn. And when the waves get high, half of Italians are left there, soaking wet, without even knowing how to ask for help.

This is the image that emerges from the new Agcom report 'The media and digital literacy needs of the Italian population' presented in Rome with tones that, behind the technical lexicon, photograph a country that is connected, but vulnerable; half-literate, especially when it comes to understanding what happens beyond the screen. The report photographs the main digital needs of the Italian population, based on the results of a questionnaire administered to a sample of over 7,000 individuals, representative of the Italian population aged 6 and over. The press conference was attended by the President of the Authority, Giacomo Lasorella, Commissioner Massimiliano Capitanio and the Director of the Study and Technical Analysis Service, Mario Staderini.

The disinformation node

More than 8 out of 10 Italians say they are concerned about what they find online. And they are right to be. One in two has already dealt with hate content, hoaxes, non-consensual pornography. But 44.1% of them have never thought of seeking help or tools to defend themselves. And if there is a paradox, it is this: we care, but we do not act. Or we do it badly.

The figure is even more disconcerting when considering the youngest. Minors, the report says, are more likely to ask for support, often from family or school. But three out of four have already had contact with toxic content: extreme challenges, cyberbullying, stolen videos. In a world where the net is part of everyday life, a generation is growing up that discovers the dark side of the digital world too early, and too alone.

Digital illiteracy

The web is not neutral in its 'relationship with users'. You should know this by now, but 41% of Italians are unaware that online platforms use algorithms to choose what to show them. And from 14-year-olds upwards, only 7% reach an 'optimal' level of algorithmic literacy. Yes, we delude ourselves that we are surfing freely, but in reality we are guided - indeed, often manipulated - by an invisible code that knows us more than we know ourselves.

"Eight out of 10 Italians are frightened by the web also because they do not know the many tools available to protect themselves and develop a critical sense. The basis can only be the school: Agcom's digital patent, in line with the Ministry of Education, also serves this purpose," says Agcom Commissioner Massimiliano Capitanio.

Families to the test

In the digital chaos, families try to put order. Eight out of ten impose rules on their children's Internet use. Some - a few - impose an absolute ban. But the rest move between time limits, parental control, more or less spontaneous co-visits. The problem? Not all families are the same. Those with parents over 45 and university graduates are more inclined to active mediation, consisting of explanations and controls. Young parents with a low educational qualification, on the other hand, prefer to cut things short: prohibitions, restrictions, silence. But silence, in digital, is an ally of danger.

The lack of critical thinking

80% of Italians consume media while eating. It sounds like a detail, but it tells a precise story: content consumption is ubiquitous, indistinct, mixed with real life. And if the youngest stay on social networks, the eldest inform themselves (so to speak) online. Too bad that only one Italian in three actually checks the sources of news. The higher the educational qualification, the more critical control grows. But otherwise, the rule is simple: you click, you read the headline, you share. Full stop.

The long shadow of revenge porn

Among the most disturbing data is the exposure to non-consensual pornography. It is not a marginality, it is a reality. Revenge porn - the sharing of intimate images without consent - is now a concrete presence in the lives of many. And it is not just a question of content, but of culture: that of possession, blackmail, digital revenge. Where the body becomes a weapon and the net a court without judges.

The contrast is there, but not enough

The good news is that over 80% of Italians, when faced with dangerous content, do something. They stop following the channel, change platform, report it. But few - very few - do the only really effective thing: verify the source. It is the simplest and most revolutionary action, but it still remains a minority. Meanwhile, awareness is growing. But too slowly compared to the speed of content. And while platforms perfect their algorithms and reality becomes increasingly media-driven, Italy risks remaining a spectator. Of itself, and of its own digital fears.

Andrea BiondiVicecaposervizio
Luogo: Milano
Lingue parlate: Italiano, Inglese, Francese
Argomenti: Finanza, Media, Telecomunicazioni, Economia dell'entertainment, Innovazione
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