Kyiv, 3 November 2023 一 National Media Literacy test was held online on October 25 during the Global Media Literacy Week. More than 26,000 users in Ukraine and abroad joined the initiative. Among them, 13,980 successfully completed the test, answering all 34 questions. 

The national test was held for the second time on the initiative of the National Media Literacy Project "Filter" of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy.

Kyiv oblast holds the largest number of test participants second year in a row with 2,208 people this year. Respondents from Luhansk, Donetsk Oblasts, and Crimea also joined the test, as well as 413 Ukrainians who currently live abroad. 

The test consisted of five blocks (basic concepts of media literacy and information space; social networks; credibility and impact of information; fact-checking skills; and ability to secure personal data and resources). The largest group of respondents — 53 percent — provided 12-23 correct answers, corresponding to the "beginner" level. The title of "media literacy guru" was achieved by only 6 percent of test participants who answered correctly to 30-34 questions.

The most common age group among participants was 15-18 years old (24 percent of respondents), followed by the age group of 40-49 years old (16 percent). Among all the participants, the majority were women (78 percent). 

The question regarding the identification of fake news proved to be the easiest, with 87 percent providing correct answers, while the question about the list of journalistic standards was the most challenging, with only 7 percent answering correctly.

Valeria Kovtun, head of the National Project on Media Literacy, said that questions about media literacy and artificial intelligence (AI) were also introduced into the test this year. "Nowadays there are active discussions about the use of artificial intelligence, in particular about the creation and dissemination of disinformation using AI. We were willing to find out what Ukrainians know about artificial intelligence overall, and whether they understand how it works. — says Valeria Kovtun. — Even though most respondents (78 percent) gave the correct definition of the term "artificial intelligence", only 47 percent understand the principles of it’s work. That's why we still need to work on it," Valeria Kovtun says.

Taras Shevchenko, Deputy Minister of Culture and Information Policy for European Integration, emphasizes that media literacy is a part of Ukraine's Information Security Strategy, making it one of the key priorities for the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy. "I am delighted that we have successfully brought together all key stakeholders through this test, including official bodies such as the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, as well as international organizations like UNDP in Ukraine and IREX, and various civil society organizations. These important initiatives are always achieved through collaboration, and I sincerely hope that our tradition of conducting this test will continue," says Taras Shevchenko.

"This year's results indicate that the task of raising the level of media literacy among the population remains relevant. The information space is becoming increasingly complex, especially during war times, and we must ensure that citizens have the necessary skills for critical thinking," noted Christophoros Politis, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative to Ukraine. "Initiatives like the National Media Literacy Test contribute to the development of Ukrainians' information awareness, and we are pleased that we have been able to strengthen the expertise of the National Media Literacy Project and significantly expand its activities."

If you didn’t manage to pass the test on October 25, you can do it until November 10, 2023, using the link. If you took the test on October 25 and achieved the "media literacy guru" title 一 please find yourself in the full list of winners of the National Media Literacy Test on the "Filter" project website and wait for an email from organizers. 150 winners who answered the most questions correctly will receive gifts from UNDP in Ukraine.

The National Media Literacy Test is organized by the National Media Literacy Project 'Filter' of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, supported by UNDP in Ukraine, and funded by the Government of Japan, in collaboration with the USAID Unity programme by IREX in Ukraine and the "Learn and Discern" project by IREX, supported by the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. 

For media inquiries: 

Yuliia Samus, Head of Communications, UNDP in Ukraine, yuliia.samus@undp.org