Kyiv, 5 December 2024 – Ukraine held the National Media Literacy Test on 17 October, ahead of Global Media and Information Literacy Week on 24-31 October. 

A total of 236,237 participants began the test, while 76,323 completed it – a rate of 32.3%.

Compared to 2023, the number of Ukrainians who fully completed the test this year increased by 5.5 times – last year, 13,980 participants completed the test, answering all 34 questions.

This was the third time the National Media Literacy Test has been held in Ukraine. The event was initiated by the “Filter” National Media Literacy Project, run by the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine. It was supported for the second consecutive year by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, with funding from the Government of Japan.

An analysis of test results was conducted on a sample of 45,000 unique users who provided their personal data to enter the prize draw. As in the previous two years, most participants were from Kyiv Oblast (8,435). Participants from Luhansk (185), Donetsk (1,697), and the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea(42) [YS1] also took part in the test. Another 461 Ukrainians living abroad took part as well.

The majority of the test-takers (77%) were women, and over 60% of those who completed the test were under the age of 35. The largest single age group was young people aged 15-19 years (19.5%).

This year, the test consisted of five sections and 25 questions, covering topics such as the reliability and impact of information, social media, ethical behaviour and content interaction, fact-checking skills, and cybersecurity.

This year, 8% of the participants earned the title of “Media Literacy Guru” by correctly answering all 25 questions, compared to 6% in 2023 and 9% in 2022. As in previous years, the results of most participants (43%) placed them in the category of “Beginner.”

Olha Kravchenko, Head of the “Filter” National Media Literacy Project, said that the results of this year's test had exceeded the project’s expectations. “We’ve witnessed how media literacy is capturing the interest of not only a narrow circle of experts and journalists but also a wide audience of Ukrainians from all over the country, regardless of their age or profession,” Kravchenko said. “This success wouldn’t have been possible without our partners, including UNDP, the Government of Japan, and the businesses, organizations, media outlets, and influencers who supported this important initiative. We’re especially touched that, like last year, people currently residing in temporarily occupied territories also participated. Our test unites Ukrainians, no matter where they live."

Hanna Krasnostup, Director of the Department of Information Policy and Security at the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, emphasized the growing interest in media literacy in Ukraine:
"We’re delighted to see more Ukrainians showing interest in media literacy and understanding the importance of filtering information, questioning what they read, and thinking critically,” Krasnostup said. “This is especially crucial during wartime, as media literacy helps people preserve their mental health and resist manipulation. The Media Literacy Test is a vital tool for assessing one’s knowledge and skills. We thank our partners for helping us promote media literacy and making it more accessible to a broader audience."

Christophoros Politis, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Ukraine, also highlighted the importance of media literacy during wartime: "In wartime, the resilience of Ukrainian society heavily relies on its ability to think critically and counter disinformation,” Politis said. “The National Media Literacy Test is a crucial initiative that reminds Ukrainians of the importance of these skills. We’re pleased to support the ‘Filter’ National Media Literacy Project for the second year in organizing this test. This year’s results not only demonstrate the growing popularity of this initiative, but also provide a clear direction for strengthening the information resilience of Ukrainians."

Fifty winners were randomly selected from participants who answered the most questions correctly. They will receive gifts from UNDP in Ukraine. The list of winners can be found here.

You can review the answers to the National Media Literacy Test here.

Background:

The National Media Literacy Test is organized by the “Filter” National Media Literacy Project under the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications, with the support of UNDP in Ukraine and funding from the Government of Japan. It is implemented in partnership with the Zinc Network’s Media Literacy and Cognitive Resilience project in Ukraine, which is funded by the UK Government, and the USAID “Mriemo ta diemo” programme, implemented in Ukraine by international education and development non-profit IREX. The National Media Literacy Test is also supported by the “Learn to Discern: Media Literacy in Education” project, implemented by IREX in Ukraine with support from the U.S. Embassy.

Media enquiries: Yuliia Samus, UNDP Ukraine Head of Communications; e-mail: yuliia.samus@undp.org