The current information landscape of Ukraine has undergone dramatic changes in response to the war and the global crisis of trust in the media. At a time when every word can become a weapon, the issue of trust in information sources is becoming critical. For Ukrainians, this is not just a choice of a news channel or a telegram channel – it is a choice between truth and manipulation, between calm and panic. The war has made every citizen a fighter on the information front, where fakes, propaganda and disinformation can be as dangerous as bullets. So where do Ukrainians look for news today? And most importantly, can they trust what they read and watch?
Trust in the media in numbers
Not so long ago, TV was the main window to the world for many Ukrainians. However, the war has changed this picture. Public and private channels are often accused of being biased and distorting facts, which is gradually eroding trust in traditional media. Many Ukrainians have begun to question the veracity of what they see on the screen, questioning whether the news is presented without the influence of political or commercial interests.
More and more people are turning away from news programmes and looking for alternative sources of information. The internet, social media and messengers are coming to the fore, offering instant access to news. But are they reliable?
Today, Telegram, Facebook, and YouTube have become the main platforms for obtaining information in Ukraine.
According to a social survey by the Rating Group, the top most popular sources of information include:
- Telegram – 47% of respondents;
- YouTube – 26% of respondents;
- “United News Marathon – 21% of respondents;
- international media – 14% of respondents.
On the one hand, social media allows you to receive news quickly and offers alternative points of view. But on the other hand, we should not forget that they are becoming a medium for spreading fake news and propaganda.
Today, 89% of respondents consider disinformation to be a serious problem. The sources of disinformation include:
- social media – 53% of respondents
- messengers – 35% of respondents;
- television – 32% of respondents.
In general, social media as a source of news is most often used by people aged 18 to 59. However, the older generation still trusts television more. It is worth noting that trust in information sources is declining in all age groups, but trust in the Internet without social media has changed the least.
The results of a survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) show that before the full-scale invasion, trust in the media was 32%. Over the three years of the full-scale war, trust in the media has fluctuated:
- in 2022 – 57%;
- in 2023 – 29%;
- in 2024 – 45%.
Television lost the most trust among citizens (34%). Trust in print media has also declined to 18%. In 2024, Ukrainians show more trust in social media (47.3%). However, trust in them has also decreased compared to 2023 (from 60% to 47.3%, respectively). The number of people who do not trust any source of information has increased significantly, both in cities and villages.
Trust is being lost in
- Television – in the centre (29.1%) and in the west (28.2%);
- radio – in the East (19.2%) and in the West (18.6%);
- print media – in the west (18.2%) and in the centre (11.6%);
- information from social networks – in the East (18.8%) and in the West (12.6%).
The results of the study ‘Media consumption of Ukrainians: the third year of full-scale war’ show that 52.8% of women trust social media, while men prefer the Internet without social media (43.1%).
What the survey results show
Recent surveys show that Ukrainians increasingly prefer social media as a source of information, while traditional media – television, radio and print – are losing trust. Changes in consumer preferences are not only related to the desire to receive information faster and in an interactive way, but also to concerns about the reliability of information provided by journalists. Censorship and political pressure on the media play an important role in this, as many journalists believe that their true positions cannot be openly voiced. For fear of reprisals or losing their jobs, they are often forced to write what is approved by the authorities or the management of the channels, which reduces public trust in such sources of information.
This has become especially noticeable after the closure of opposition channels that used to offer an alternative point of view on socially important events. This has narrowed the space for objective journalism and contributed to an increase in distrust of the general information flow. As a result, many Ukrainians, feeling that they are not being provided with a complete picture of events, are turning to social media, where content is less controlled. At the same time, this shift poses serious risks, as social media often become a platform for spreading false information and manipulation.
This shift in trust is an alarming signal for the country’s information security. The decline in trust in official media may lead to Ukrainians being increasingly exposed to fake news, propaganda and manipulation that appear online without proper control.
The key factors behind the decline in trust in the media are political bias, commercial interests and the spread of disinformation. Politicians use the media as a tool of influence, which causes scepticism on the part of citizens. In addition, economic difficulties are forcing many media outlets to seek funding, which can lead to dependence on specific sponsors or owners. Money rules the world, and news is no exception. Media outlets depend on advertisers and sponsors, which affects the content of their stories. Can a media outlet criticise a corporation that is its main source of income? The question is rhetorical. Viewers can feel it: when the news turns into an advertising platform for large companies or political players, the level of trust in it inevitably falls.
Today, every news story arouses both interest and doubts. Every article is perceived as another manipulation, and journalists are seen as tools in the hands of politicians or oligarchs. At the same time, the information war waged by Russia has shown how dangerous the media space can be. Russian propaganda tries to infiltrate Ukrainian information channels on a daily basis to disorient people, undermine morale and sow chaos. In response, the Ukrainian media are faced with the need to adhere to a single line during the war, which also gives rise to criticism of censorship and a monopoly on the truth.
The level of trust in the media in the world
The modern media space resembles a battlefield, where every piece of news can become a weapon of mass manipulation or turn into a source of reliable information. However, the issue of trust in the media is becoming more and more relevant around the world. Traditional media are losing their fans, while social media are taking over the information market, often blurring the line between truth and fiction. But how are different countries responding to this challenge, and who do their citizens trust?
Finland is one of the few countries where the media is still considered a reliable source of information. According to the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, 62% of Finns trust the news. This high level of trust is due to the transparency of the media system, low political polarisation and a strong culture of journalistic ethics. In Finland, the media is still seen as a watchdog of the government, trying to provide information without manipulation or censorship.
In the United States, however, the level of trust in the media remains critically low. Only about 26% of Americans say they trust the media, which is due to high political polarisation. Here, news is often viewed through the prism of political preferences: conservative viewers prefer one group of channels, while liberal viewers prefer another. This situation only deepens the divide in society and contributes to the spread of mistrust.
Greece and South Korea are two countries where trust in the media has reached almost the lowest levels. In Greece, trust in the media is only 23%. Amidst economic instability and corruption scandals, the media are often accused of being controlled by oligarchs or working for the interests of certain political groups. South Korea, despite its high technological development and strong journalism, also suffers from public disillusionment with the media due to political scandals and information manipulation.
In the UK, trust in the media is fluctuating due to events such as Brexit and other political upheavals. Only 28% of Britons trust the news, reflecting a growing lack of confidence in the objectivity of information. Traditional newspapers are losing popularity, while social media is increasingly being used to get news, although it is accompanied by problems with fake news and misinformation.
Risks of trust in social media
It is worth noting that in wartime, Telegram channels and other social media have gained popularity as sources of exclusive news without censorship, but there is a trap here. The absence of editorial control allows false information to be disseminated, creating panic or manipulating public opinion. At the same time, users themselves decide whom to believe, which often makes them victims of information attacks.
Many Ukrainians turn to independent bloggers to get a variety of points of view. However, there are risks here as well: not all of them are truly ‘independent’ and do not always have an adequate understanding of the situation in Ukraine and the world. As a result, social media and messengers have become the main platforms for news, but they have also become a place where fake news and disinformation are rampant. In a world where anyone can create ‘news’, bloggers lose control over the quality of information. This creates chaos, where truth and lies are so mixed that people simply stop believing in anything.
Today, news is increasingly focused on sensations and emotions, leaving facts and analytics in the background. That is why information hygiene is a critical skill for every Ukrainian. Comparing sources, fact-checking, and understanding who is behind a publication are necessary steps in the search for the truth. People need to learn not to believe the first source they come across, as this caution can be a key tool to protect themselves from propaganda. It is also important that they learn to think critically and recognise manipulation. This is a task not only for the media, but also for the educational system. Citizens who know how to analyse information will not fall victim to fake news and will be able to distinguish between true news and manipulation.
In a world where anyone can become a news creator, trust in the media is becoming a fragile currency. Ukrainians are forced to balance between traditional media, social media and independent sources, trying to find the truth among the flood of manipulation and fake news. But true trust is not built on blind acceptance of information – it comes from critical analysis, comparison of sources and a willingness to question even the most authoritative voices. In this world of information warfare, the truth is not held by those who speak the loudest, but by those who are not afraid to look further and think critically.
