Every Fourth Russian Has a High Digital Literacy Level

Moscow, June 20, 2018. 26% of Russians demonstrated high level basic digital skills. Digital literacy index stands at 52 points out of 100. At the same time the Russians can act carelessly in regards to protecting data: only 38% of respondents make backup copies of their data, and 44% of users do not know how to behave correctly if they receive an email with malicious software from someone they know.

These data were obtained during a special research project Digital Literacy for the Economy of the Future that was carried out by NAFI Analytical Center. For this project Russian national surveys were conducted along with a cabinet study of global practices that focus on the evaluation of adult population digital competencies.

Russians’ Digital Literacy Index

By digital literacy we understand the basic set of knowledge, skills and attitudes that allow a person to effectively solve tasks in the digital sphere.

Digital literacy components:

• Information literacy
• Knowledge of the specifics of information from different sources
• Skills for searching for relevant information and comparing it
• Attitudes towards harms and benefits that information brings
• Computer literacy
• Knowledge of computer hardware and functions
• Skills for using computers and similar devices
• Attitudes to the role of computers in everyday practices
• Media literacy
• Knowledge of media content and its sources
• News searching and fact checking skills
• Attitudes towards the accuracy of information communicated through mass media
• Communication literacy
• Knowledge of digital communication dialog specifics
• Skills for using modern communication means
• Attitudes towards ethics and communication norms in the digital sphere
• Technological innovations
• Knowledge of modern technological trends
• Skills for working with gadgets and apps
• Attitudes on the advantages that tech innovations bring

The Digital Literacy Index is calculated as an average of all the components above and stands at 52 out of 100 points possible. 26% of Russians demonstrated high level basic digital skills (respondents with Index scores of 90 and above).

The Russians demonstrate most developed competences in media literacy (the subindex stands at 65 points). Computer literacy has the lowest subindex at 46 points.

In Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as in cities with population over 1 mln people the subindex stands at 59 points, while in villages it is almost 10 points lower (49). The higher the person’s education level , the higher their digital literacy level is. Digital literacy also depends on the person’s age - the younger the people, the more proficient they are in the digital sphere. No significant differences in digital literacy levels between different genders were found (53 points for males vs. 50 points for females).

In general in regards to digital competences Russians have a steady set of basic skills while lacking knowledge and ethical attitudes (subindex for skills - 55 points, for attitudes - 53 points, for knowledge - 47 points).

Information literacy level

One of the signs a sufficient level of knowledge is the ability to make conclusions about some fact on the basis of different sources. Most Russians take analyzing data seriously and prefer to explore different information resources (74%). In regards to information skills 81% (of those who own a computer) easily find the information they need online.

The situation gets more complicated with the ethical side of information literacy. This indicator shows how deeply a person examines the information that was found. 45% do not think about the harms and benefits of information that they get online.

Computer literacy level

The main characteristics of a computer-literate person are knowledge of the technical components of a computer, ease-of-use of any device regardless of its software platform and understanding the aims of using each gadget.

78% of users in Russia see working on a computer as something that is easy. However slightly less than half of people older than 55 (43%) experience difficulties. To compare, only 10% of people aged 18 to 24 and 12% of people aged 25 to 34 think that working on a computer is difficult. Those with higher education find working on computers easy more often (85%) than those without higher education (74%).

Only 59% of Russians can evaluate technical characteristics of a computer. 75% use a computer to solve everyday tasks - for work, studies, leisure and entertainment.

Young people and males are more proficient in computers and software. The older the person, the worse his computer knowledge is.

Media literacy level

Media literacy allows a person to navigate in the media space, search for relevant news while allowing that media coverage of the news or other information may be incomplete.

51% of Russians do not doubt the facts communicated by the media that they trust. Every fourth Russian acknowledged that it is difficult to follow the news and navigate in the flow of events (26%). The younger the person, the easier this process is.

The majority of Russians (72%) realize that the media that they choose may not always present information accurately. At the same time 28% are convinced that their media of choice are fully honest in communicating information and events. People aged 18 to 34 and those with higher education most often put information communicated by the media under doubt.

Communication literacy level

The level of knowledge in the sphere of communication literacy demonstrates the ability to analyze the position of another person online.

58% of Russians analyze the position of the person who they are communicating with online, and among younger people this percentage runs higher.

Measuring the level of communication skills implies evaluating the usage of modern digital communication tools and channels (messengers, social networks). The majority of Russians (75%) are proficient in using modern communications means: this is especially true for younger people aged 18 to 24 (95%) and 25 to 34 (86%).

Most Russians (76%) believe that the same communication norms that exist in everyday life should be used online.

Digital literacy and security

The risks of gaps in digital literacy stem from improper understanding of the role of information in the modern world which, in turn, leads to not understanding the fact that information needs to be protected. 44% of Russians are convinced that they can protect their personal data. It is of note that over half of Russian internet users (55%) think that securing their personal data is not their concern. They think that this matter should be handled by website owners, service providers and the government.

72% upload private photos online, 19% post information about members of their family. Only a third of respondents make backup copies of their personal data (35%). Every fifth Russian (22%) makes payments through public Wi-Fi networks.

38% of Russians use the same password for different accounts. The same share of users do not use regularly updated antivirus software.

44% of users will behave incorrectly if they receive an email with a virus from someone they know. Every tenth user would send this email back to the sender, 9% would open the email. 4% believe that it is enough to reboot the computer for the virus to disappear. At the same time web users know how to behave when they get an email from a stranger asking to click on a link (71%). Every tenth user would consult with a specialist in regards to this issue.

A person’s attitude to information technologies is closely related to media literacy, information, computer and communication literacy: if a person follows the world of tech, he or she is more likely invested in developing their digital literacy.

A third of Russians follow the news in the sphere of innovations. The older the person, the rarer he or she is up to date with the latest technological developments. Half of Russians realize that modern gadgets help in everyday life and simplify it (58%). At the same time 53% said that it is hard for them to learn how to use modern technologies.

Knowledge in the sphere of working with information, % of all participants, segmentation by education level

Skills in the sphere of working with information, % of all participants, segmentation by age groups

Attitudes in the sphere of working with information, % of all survey participants 

Knowledge in the sphere of computer literacy, % of all survey participants, segmentation by age groups

Knowledge in the sphere of computer literacy, % of all survey respondents, segmentation by education level

Skills in the sphere of computer literacy, % of all survey participants, segmentation by age groups

Skills in the sphere of computer literacy, % of all survey participants, segmentation by education level

Attitudes in the sphere of computer literacy, % of all surveyed, segmentation by age groups

Attitudes in the sphere of computer literacy, % of all survey participants, segmentation by education level 

Knowledge in the sphere of media literacy, % of all respondents, segmentation by age groups 

Knowledge in the sphere of media literacy, % of all respondents, segmentation by education level

Skills in the sphere of media literacy, % of all survey participants, segmentation by age groups 

Knowledge in the sphere of communication literacy, % of all survey participants, segmentation by age groups

Skills in the sphere of communication literacy, % of all survey participants, segmentation by age groups

Attitudes in the sphere of communication literacy, % of all survey participants 

Knowledge of technological innovations, % of all survey participants, segmentation by age groups 

Knowledge about technological innovations, % of all survey participants, segmentation by education level

Knowledge about technological innovations, % of all survey participants, segmentation by gender

Skills for using technological innovations, % of all survey participants, segmentation by age groups

Skills for using technological innovations, % of all survey participants, segmentation by gender

Attitudes to technological innovations, % of all survey participants, segmentation by age groups

Digital literacy index, segmentation by age groups

Digital literacy index, segmentation by gender 

Digital literacy index, segmentation by community type

Digital literacy index, segmentation by literacy types

“How safe is it do you think to use the internet?”, % of all survey participants, segmentation by age groups

“How safe is it do you think to use the internet?”, % of all survey participants, segmentation by gender

“How safe is it do you think to use the internet?”, % of all survey participants, segmentation by education level 

“How safe is it do you think to use the internet?”, % of all survey participants, segmentation by people who use or do not use internet

Share of users who have enough knowledge and skills to protect their personal data online, % of internet users, segmentation by gender

Share of users who have enough knowledge and skills to protect their personal data online, % of internet users, segmentation by education level

Share of users who regularly update their antivirus software, % of internet users

Share of users who make payments connecting through public Wi-Fi in cafes or on the streets, % of internet users, segmentation by age groups

“What will you do if you receive an email with a virus from someone you know?”, % of internet users

“What will you do if in an email from a stranger you are asked to follow a link to a website?”, % of internet users