Written by Silvia González Vidal and Colin Murphy.
Cyberbullying is a real issue for the current generation of young people who have grown up in the always connected digital world. While trends have indicated that both victims and perpetrators of cyberbullying are becoming younger, it can also affect adults, with women at greater risk of cyberviolence. Cyberbullying can take many forms and can cause anxiety and depression among its victims. People can experience shame and embarrassment and withdraw from studies, work, interests and their social circles. The impact of cyberviolence can be tangible with a significant economic cost to society.
The EU has placed significant importance on tackling the issue of cyberbullying. The Commission has adopted an action plan against cyberbullying in 2026, which focuses on a coordinated approach among Member States. It is designed to foster prevention and awareness, and encourages Member States to adopt comprehensive national strategies and promote a common understanding of cyberbullying to ensure a safer digital environment.
The EU has enacted a number of laws which address various elements of digitalisation to protect EU citizens and prevent providers of digital services and content from engaging in harmful practices. The EU also has a suite of policies and strategies to complement its legal framework in online child protection, coupled with support for parents and educators.
Risks from cyber-enabled violence continue to be a threat to European society, especially its young people. While advances in digital technology provide many opportunities, these are accompanied by a myriad of dangers. Cyberbullying is one such danger, with real-world consequences for individuals. While Member States across the EU have embarked on multi-faceted responses to the issue, there have been calls for an EU-wide legally binding definition of cyberbullying.
Read the complete briefing on ‘Addressing the gap between cyberbullying, cyberstalking and cyberharassment: Towards a legally binding definition of cyberbullying at EU level‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.
Míg Hollandia a tengereken bármilyen ellenséggel, akár az egyesült angol–francia hajóhaddal szemben is a siker reményében tudta felvenni a küzdelmet, addig a szárazföldön a francia hadsereggel szemben teljesen reménytelennek látszott a helyzete. A Hollandia elleni támadásban közvetlenül 120 ezer francia katona vett részt, de ha ezekhez hozzászámítjuk a hadtápot, a várak helyőrségét, és a többi határon tartalékban álló egységeket, akkor azt látjuk, hogy Franciaország több mint 300 ezer katonát volt képes mozgósítani, ami Európa messze legnagyobb hadserege volt. A mennyiség mellé minőség is társult, ez a hatalmas hadsereg nem csupán létszámát tekintve volt a legnagyobb, hanem felszerelését, kiképzését, és ellátását tekintve is a legjobbak közé tartozott, nem is beszélve arról, hogy kiválóan képzett tisztek irányították, köztük a kor valószínűleg két legkiválóbb hadvezére, Turenne és Condé. A velük szemben álló holland hadsereg összlétszáma alig haladta meg a 80 ezret, és ebben már benne volt az erődök helyőrsége is. Ütközetben a hollandok alig húszezer katonát tudtak volna csak felvonultatni a franciák ellen.