Digital literacy in Russia

Main article: Population of Russia

2023: Mishustin approved the introduction of information security and digital literacy lessons in schools

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin approved the concept of information security for children, the main goal of which is to protect minors from threats and risks in the digital environment. The press service of the Cabinet of Ministers announced this on May 5, 2023.

The document provides for the introduction of lessons in information security and digital literacy. The main goal of the concept is to protect children from information threats and risks in the modern digital environment. On the Internet, children can face various dangers, for example, attackers who, under the guise of peers, can ask about the child's personal data and his family. This information can then be used for blackmail, threats or manipulation, as well as to involve children in destructive organizations.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin

To protect children in such situations, the concept proposes to unite the efforts of the state and the parent community in these matters, form and introduce information security lessons into the educational process, teach schoolchildren safe behavior on the Internet, and increase their digital literacy. For example, in such lessons, children will be explained how to recognize scammers and how to do the right thing when strangers begin to find out the child's personal data or ask about his family.

It is also planned to conduct on an ongoing basis educational events for parents, teachers, employees of children's and youth libraries and other specialists who are associated with the upbringing, training and organization of children's leisure. At these events, they will talk about the rules for the safe behavior of children in the digital space and means of protecting children from access to information that can harm their health, as well as moral and spiritual development. In addition, it is planned to develop socially significant projects for children and adolescents in print and electronic media.

Government of the Russian Federation Order of April 28, 2023 No. 1105-r

2021

Analyzed digital skills of the population in the regions of Russia

The Institute for Statistical Research and Knowledge Economics of the Higher School of Economics analyzed, based on Rosstat data for 2021, regional differences in the degree of digitalization of households and the level of digital skills of the population, publishing a report on September 15, 2022.

In general, according to the ISIEZ HSE, the share of households connected to the Network has noticeably increased in Russia - as of September 2022, it reaches 84%. In a number of constituent entities of the Russian Federation, this figure is lower, for example, the Internet is absent in every fifth household in the Novgorod and Oryol regions, the republics of Mari El and Mordovia. However, even in the regions leading in the share of households connected to the Network, only about 76% of the population enter it every day.

In the republics of Adygea, Altai, Mari El and Ingushetia, as well as in the Amur Region, more than half of households have only mobile broadband. At the same time, an average of 71% of residents go online daily.

Experts did not see a direct correlation between the frequency of Network use in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and the level of development of digital competencies among the population. So, in a number of regions - Moscow, St. Petersburg, Murmansk region, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug - the ubiquity of Internet access in households is combined with a rather high level of digital skills of the population.

In other constituent entities of the Russian Federation, despite the high share of households connected to the Internet and its regular use by the population, digital skills among users are quite poorly developed. Thus, in the Chechen and Karachay-Cherkess republics, where more than 94% of households are connected to the Network, almost 70% of the adult population demonstrate a low level of digital skills.^[1]

How the pandemic affected the level of digital skills of Russians

The Institute for Statistical Research and Knowledge Economics HSE analyzed the change in digital Russians skills in 2019-2021, publishing its report on July 26, 2022.

Quarantine measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the forced transfer of various social practices to a virtual environment (work, education, shopping, etc.) stimulated the population to more intensive use of the World Wide Web.

For 2019-2021 The share of active Internet users (entering the network more often than once every three months) among Russians aged 15 years and older increased from 77.5 to 83.4%. These trends are also noticeable among the elderly population: if in 2019 67.4% of residents of the country aged 55-64 used the Internet, then in 2021 - already 81.1%. In the group of 65-74 years during this period, the figure increased from 39.5 to 52.9%.

The expansion of the Internet audience also occurred among the population over 75 years old, although over 80% of representatives of this group still do not use the capabilities of the network. Thus, the problem of digital exclusivity of senior citizens remains relevant. The process of integrating the older generation into the online environment is complicated by the lack of a number of loved ones who could help them master digital technologies (out of 44.6% of older people over 55 who do not use the Internet, 18.3% live alone).

The intensification of the use of the Internet and digital devices during the COVID-19 pandemic did not entail a noticeable development of the digital skills of the population. The increase in the Internet audience was due to the influx of users with a low level of such competencies: the share of the corresponding group increased from 39.3% in 2019 to 44.1% in 2021 (Chart 1). The share of Russians who possess digital skills at least at the basic level has practically not changed: 37.8% in 2021 against 36.4% in 2019.

Illustration: HSE ISIEZ

Digital skills are best developed among young people (15-24 years old): 36.2% of representatives of this group have the appropriate competencies at the basic level, another 28.1% - at the high level (Fig. 2). The level of digital skills in older age groups is noticeably lower: among the Internet audience aged 45 years and older, the bulk of users have gaps in digital competencies at all.

Illustration: HSE ISIEZ

The most in demand among Internet users are communicative skills (sending and receiving, email participating in, calling) and social networks skills in working with information (searching for information related to health or goods and services, obtaining information from sites, state agencies saving information in Internet storage). The restriction of social contacts during the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in the share of users who own communication competencies at a level above the basic level - from 71.8% in 2019 to 75.4% in 2021 (Chart 3). The share of Russians with a high level of information skills has increased slightly over three years: from 61 to 62.2%. But as a result of the transfer of various services online, the share of the Internet audience increased by almost 10 percentage points. the skills of using online services of which exceed the basic level (in 2021 - 42.1%).

More specialized skills are significantly weaker, as they are largely related to professional activities or other needs that are not relevant to most ordinary users. Due to the expansion of the Internet audience at the expense of persons who have mastered an extremely limited set of digital skills, the share of users who are not familiar with computer programs (text editors, programs for working with spreadsheets and presentations) and setting up digital devices has increased.

Illustration: HSE ISIEZ

Thus, the expansion of the Internet audience due to the pandemic did not lead to a significant increase in the level of digital competencies among users. At the same time, the gap in the level of mastery of such skills between the most adapted youth and older age groups has only worsened. The increase in the share of Russians aged 15-24 with high skills occurs, including due to the popularization of professions in the IT field and the emergence of new ones educational online products in this area. The development of competencies in older age groups is constrained by the limited demand for digital technologies in everyday practice.

According to ISIEZ HSE, the assessment of the level of digital skills is based on information about the actions performed by the individual over the past three months. It is carried out in five groups: (1) work with information; (2) communication; (3) setting up digital equipment; (4) using online services and (5) working with software.

In turn, the skill level within each group is rated on a three-point scale: (1) no skills, (2) baseline, (3) above baseline. In addition, an integral assessment of digital skills is calculated on a four-point scale, where "skills are absent" - there are no skills in any group; "low level" - there are skills in at least two groups; "basic" - presence of skills in all groups, provided that in one of them the level of ownership is "basic"; "above base" - availability of skills in all groups at this level.

The HSE ISIEZ report was based on the institute's own calculations according to Rosstat; results of the project "Study of digital inequality in Russia and its impact on the digitalization of the economy and society" of the thematic plan of research work provided for by the State Task of the Higher School of Economics.^[2]

2019: The level of digital literacy of Russians increased by 8 percentage points to 60 percentage points on a 100-point scale

NAFI On August 23, 2019, the analytical center, together with the organization "," Digital economy presented the second part of a study on the attitude Russians to modern technologies and readiness for life in a digital society. In this part of the study - about the attitude of Russians to "smart" devices, neurotechnologies, as well as innovations in the field. transport

Attitudes towards technological innovation are one of the five components of digital literacy, an indicator that reflects society's readiness for the digital economy.

According to the results of NAFI studies, in 2018 the level of digital literacy of Russians increased by 8 percentage points. and amounted to 60 percentage points. on a 100-point scale. Russians have become better able to cope with the search for information, more competent to approach its analysis, more confident to work on digital devices. The attitude to technological innovations is manifested in knowledge of modern trends in technology, skills in working with gadgets and applications, as well as in installations about the benefits of technological innovations. In 2018, this component of total digital literacy increased by only 4 percentage points and amounted to 51 percentage points out of 100.

Most Russians have a positive attitude towards the use of so-called "smart" technologies and devices. 60% would like to live in a smart home, 55% would like to wear clothes made of smart materials that change properties depending on the weather.

Virtual voice assistants are also popular among Russians. Thus, 59% of respondents said they were ready to use voice assistants built into smartphones and other devices.

Russians are less enthusiastic about introducing neurotechnologies and augmented reality technologies. 38% would like to use glasses that independently find information on the network about any object on which the look is directed. 32% are interested in using neurointerfaces - miniature devices with which you can issue commands to a computer by force of thought.

Technologies in the field of transport, when they appear, are ready to use a relatively small number of Russians. 37% would use an electric-powered car. Every fifth respondent (21%) would use an unmanned vehicle. 38% would like to use the technology of delivering goods or mail by unmanned aerial vehicles.

Most often, men, Russians aged 18 to 34 years, as well as people with a high level of income are ready to use modern technologies.

Until fifteen years ago, many of the technologies to which the survey was dedicated seemed fantastic. The study showed that the interest in such fantastic things that are becoming a reality among Russians is quite high. Many want to live in smart homes or use the voice assistant in a smartphone. Slightly fewer people want to drive unmanned vehicles or order delivery of goods using drones, probably because these technologies have not yet come into use. And in order to bring their launch closer to everyday life and, in general, accelerate the digitalization of all areas of activity, within the framework of the national program "Digital Economy of the Russian Federation" seven road maps on end-to-end technologies were created: from artificial intelligence and robotics to virtual reality and quantum technologies. Specific projects for the implementation of these cards will be selected in the fall, 'noted Sergey Nakvasin, Digital Technology Director of Digital Economy

The greatest interest is taken by innovations that reflect the popular trends of everyday life - the use of digital technologies, the passion for healthy lifestyles and concern for the environment. So, the "smart" home allows you to contribute to the care of the environment. A personal consultant is able to make life easier, in which the information flow has increased significantly, and it has become difficult to find the necessary information not because it is not there, but because there is too much information. A bracelet measuring the state of health and tests for the detection of predisposition to genetic diseases are attributes of thoughtful attitude to the own health and the health of unborn children, as well as a widespread passion for a healthy lifestyle. "" said Anastasia Yaranova, head of research projects in the field of HR research at the NAFI Analytical Center

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