Girls are almost twice as likely as boys to be the victim of online bullying, the national statistics office CBS said on Monday.

In total, 3% of the population say they have been victimised online but 12% of older teenage girls report being bullied via the internet, according to the latest edition of the CBS security monitor.

Fewer than one in seven of the teenage victims actually report the online bullying but older people are more likely to go to the police, the CBS said.

In half of cases involving youngsters, the bullies are at the same school as their victim and in 70% of cases the victim is bullied both online and offline.

The most common form of online bullying is spreading film, photo and rumours via social media and other websites. Stalking, threats and extortion come in second place.