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Eurostat Flash Estimates Signal Elevated Poverty Risk In Cyprus By 2025

Forecast Of Rising Poverty Risk In Cyprus

Eurostat estimated that the poverty risk rate in Cyprus could reach 14.9% in 2025, up from 14.6% recorded in 2024. The projected increase would affect approximately 146,000 residents, according to Eurostat’s latest flash estimates.

European Union Overview

Across the European Union, around 72.4 million people, or 16.3% of the population, are estimated to be at risk of poverty. The figure represents a marginal increase of 0.1 percentage points compared with the previous year. Eurostat noted that the 2025 estimates remain preliminary because the latest complete income data currently available relates to 2024.

Country-Specific Trends

Among EU member states, Lithuania is projected to record the highest poverty risk rate in 2025 at 22.6%, followed by Latvia at 22% and Bulgaria at 21.2%. Lower projected rates were reported for the Czech Republic at 9.6%, Belgium at 10.9%, and Denmark at 11.8%. Overall EU poverty risk levels are expected to remain relatively stable, with Eurostat projecting a slight increase to 16.4% in the next EU-SILC cycle in 2026. According to the agency, the projected change is not considered statistically significant.

Implications For Cyprus And Beyond

The forecasted increase in Cyprus reflects broader economic challenges facing the region. As policymakers and community leaders navigate these shifts, continuous monitoring will be essential to implement targeted interventions. This evolving economic landscape underscores the need for proactive measures to safeguard vulnerable populations.

Passkeys Are The Gold Standard For Account Security. So Why Don’t More Major Apps Offer Them?

Passkeys are increasingly being promoted as one of the most effective ways to protect online accounts. By reducing reliance on passwords, they help prevent phishing attacks, simplify sign-ins and strengthen account security. Despite those advantages, however, many major digital platforms have yet to adopt the technology.

A Security Upgrade Still Missing At Scale

That gap is the focus of whynopasskeys.com, a new site created by security researcher Scott Helme to highlight companies that have not yet enabled passkeys for their users. The site tracks major consumer brands that continue to rely on older login methods even as passkeys become the industry standard.

Among the services still without passkey support are Instagram, Netflix and Spotify, according to the site’s data.

Why Passkeys Matter

Unlike traditional passwords, passkeys are generated on a user’s device and linked both to that device and to a specific website or application. Authentication can be completed through biometrics such as Face ID or Touch ID, a hardware security key or a password manager.

Because users do not need to create or remember passwords, opportunities for credential theft, phishing attacks and password reuse are significantly reduced. In most cases, gaining access to an account would require direct access to the user’s device.

Public Accountability As A Pressure Tactic

In a blog post explaining the project, Helme said the goal is to create pressure by making the absence of passkey support visible. “A list is a surprisingly effective motivator. Nobody wants to be on the list,” he wrote.

That approach has already worked elsewhere in cybersecurity: when businesses are publicly compared against peers on basic protections, they often move faster to close the gap. In this case, the list is intended to push platforms to give users a stronger and simpler login option.

The Companies Moving Faster

Many large technology companies have already adopted passkeys, including Apple, Google and Microsoft, reflecting the technology’s growing role in account security.

Implementation, however, remains uneven. Instagram users can currently access passkeys only when their account is linked to a Facebook account that already has passkey support enabled, highlighting differences in adoption even within the same company.

The Bigger Business Question

Meta has not publicly explained why passkeys are available on some of its platforms, including Facebook and WhatsApp, but not fully across Instagram.

Debate within the industry is no longer centred on whether passkeys work, but on how quickly companies are willing to deploy them. As phishing, credential theft and account fraud remain persistent cybersecurity challenges, passkeys are increasingly being viewed not as an optional feature but as an emerging security standard.

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