Studying the Digital Literacy Rate of the Population

Abstract

The article examines issues related to the digital literacy rate among the population of the Russian Federation. Based on statistical data for a 10-year period (2014-2024) from the "Information and Computer Technology Survey" section, the article analyzes the dynamics of the population share possessing personal computer skills, divided by age groups. The age groups are divided into three categories: young adults (15-24 years old), adults (25-54 years old), and older adults (55-75 years old). The study was conducted taking into account three levels of digital competence development: basic, intermediate, and advanced. The level of information security of the population was analyzed in the period from 2014 to 2024. Two categories of the population were selected for analysis: those who had faced and those who had not faced information security issues. Based on the data from the Digital Dictation, the digital literacy rateof the population was studied in distribution by regions of the Russian Federation, and key patterns were identified. The analysis of the dynamics showed that over the past decade, there has been a significant increase in the share of the population with an average digital literacy rate, which has been accompanied by a natural decrease in the share of citizens with the initial rate. This process has significantly accelerated since 2020. The older population has shown the most progress, however, this age group is the least active in the digital environment due to objective reasons. The analysis results show a positive trend in basic skills, but there is still a shortage of advanced competencies. The analysis of regional differentiation revealed a significant digital gap between the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. It has been found that regions with a high digital literacy rate are concentrated in the European part of the country. The eastern part of the country has a low digital literacy rate, while the southwestern part has an average result. In the field of information security, the proportion of citizens facing cyber threats has returned to the level of 2014 by 2024, reaching almost 50%.