Social media becomes primary news source for Ukrainians during war – study
Social media has become the primary source of news for Ukrainians during the ongoing war, with trust levels in social media now on par with television, according to a study commissioned by the Civil Network Opora and published on July 10.
The study reveals that in the second year of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, popular social media platforms have emerged as the main source of news for Ukrainians.
Among the surveyed individuals, the most popular sources of news are Telegram (71.3% of respondents obtain news there), YouTube (66.2%), and Facebook (55%).
A significant majority of respondents, 77.9%, prefer social media for news consumption. Television ranks second at 62.5%, followed by the internet (excluding social media) at 57.7%.
Radio and print media occupy the fourth and fifth positions in the rankings, with results of 33.7% and 17.8% respectively.
The study highlights that social media serves as a crucial information source for both women (76.2%) and men (80%). Television remains in second place among women (66.3%), while the internet (excluding social media) takes the second spot among men (61.1%). Radio is nearly 8% more popular among men (37.9%) than among women (30.2%).
When examining different age groups, television has declined significantly among the younger generations. Individuals aged 30-59 now tend to use radio more frequently. Respondents between the ages of 40-49 have turned to social media and print media more often too.
In terms of trust levels, television and social media are nearly equal, with television maintaining a slight lead at 61.1%, while social media falls behind by only 1.1% among the respondents. Trust in internet sources (excluding social media) has decreased compared to the previous year, at 45.1% versus 49% in 2022.
Approximately 8% of the respondents express distrust in all news sources.
In terms of regional breakdown, social media is most trusted in the eastern and southern regions (61.9% and 60.7% respectively). Television holds the lead among residents of the central and western regions (61.8% and 65.1%).
The highest level of distrust in any news source is found in the southern regions (10.4%), while the lowest is in the central regions (6.4%).
Residents of rural areas tend to trust television more (64.9%), while city dwellers rely on social media (63.4%).
The ranking of the most popular social media platforms through which Ukrainians obtain information has remained largely unchanged from the previous year and is as follows:
- Telegram (71.3%)
- YouTube (66.2%)
- Facebook (55%)
- Viber (50%)
- Instagram (29.5%)
- TikTok (25.1%)
- Twitter (8.3%)
TikTok has shown the most significant increase in its follower base. In the past year, the platform’s audience among individuals aged 70 and above has grown from 12.2% to 21.1%, while among those aged 40-49, it has risen from 17.9% to 26.5%.
The study was conducted between May 11 and June 12, with a total of 2,013 individuals participating in telephone interviews across all regions of Ukraine, excluding the Russian-occupied territories. The survey did not include Ukrainian citizens who emigrated abroad after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
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