The digital age has fundamentally changed the way we consume information. Social media has become the dominant source of news, while advertisements are increasingly disguised in the form of influencer marketing. Among young people, the distinction between factual news and opinion pieces is becoming blurred, while knowledge about media owners and journalists remains low.
This situation is also confirmed by data collected in recent years:
1. The Internet is the primary source of news during emergencies
Up to 29% of people in Slovakia use a web browser (e.g., Google) as their first choice when seeking information during an emergency. Web browsers are thus the most widely used source of information during crises.
In such cases, 16% of the Slovak population relies on their favorite social media platforms as a source of information (Source: CEDMO, 2025).
2. Half of the Slovak population relies on social media for information
As many as 51% of people in Slovakia consider social media (e.g., Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X, etc.) to be a source of information on current social and political issues.
This trend is most prevalent among the younger generation, aged 15–24—up to 74% of them obtain information from social media (Source: Eurobarometer, 2025).
3. Most children and adolescents do not understand social media rules
Only 17% of children report that they have read and understand the rules for using social media.
Approximately half (49%) of them have not even familiarized themselves with the social media rules—either they skipped them or read them only briefly (Source: National Coordination Center for Addressing Violence Against Children 2025).
4. A significant number of Slovaks follows influencers on social media
As many as 40% of people in Slovakia follow influencers or content creators on social media channels. This is higher than the average for European Union countries (Source: Eurobarometer, 2025).
5. Information manipulation most frequently occurs on the platforms young people use the most
Approximately 25% of posts on the social media platform TikTok may consist of disinformation or misinformation. At the same time, 24% of such content on TikTok contains elements generated by artificial intelligence (Source: Science Feedback, 2026).
According to a study published by the National Coordination Center for Addressing Violence Against Children (2025), TikTok is the second most widely used social media platform among children and adolescents in Slovakia.
6. Generation Z is tech-savvy but easily falls prey to media traps
Research by the Faculty of Mass Media Communication at the University of St. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava (2025) showed that members of Generation Z perceive advertising as a natural part of the digital environment and often do not think about who created it or why specific content is being displayed to them. This attitude was most evident in influencer ads, where trust in the public figure outweighed critical evaluation of the content.
Native ad formats, which blend visually and in terms of content with regular posts, proved to be the biggest challenge for young people. The most problematic format was Instagram Reels, where only 15.8% of respondents were able to identify the ad.
The research also revealed that while the term “disinformation” is familiar to the young Slovak generation, as many as 47% were unable to explain how they would distinguish it from an opinion or a fact (Source: Faculty of Mass Media Communication, University of St. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, 2025).
7. Findings from the 2022 Czech Study on Media Literacy in Primary and Secondary Schools
Difficulties in distinguishing between news reports and opinion pieces
Only 34% of Czech students were able to correctly identify which of the two presented articles was more likely to contain factual information, which is 26% less than in 2018.
Most students did not take into account the section in which the article was classified (News/Domestic vs. Opinions/Commentaries) and made their decisions more intuitively.
However, 75–80% of students were able to accurately identify the function of a headline and distinguish between tabloid and serious journalism.
Lack of Familiarity with Journalists and Media Owners
78% of Czech secodary school students and 85% of Czech primary school students do not know the name of any journalist.
Students are unfamiliar with the owners of private media outlets, but they were most often able to correctly identify the owners of social media platforms.
Uncertainty Regarding Public Media
More than 66% of respondents correctly identified ČT and ČRo as Czech public media television and broadcaster.
Less than 50% of students correctly answered questions about the public nature of other media, with “I don’t know” being a common response (Source: JSNS.cz, 2022).
The Media Education Weeks initiative comes as a response to these challenges. It provides tools and activities that help people strengthen their media literacy and critical thinking skills and navigate the digital environment more safely and confidently. In a digital world where information comes not only from the media but also from influencers, it is increasingly difficult to distinguish between facts, advertising, personal opinions, or manipulative content. Improving the ability to navigate news, advertising, social media content, and fact‑checking is therefore key to building resilience against disinformation and manipulation.
The initiative is taking place in the Czech Republic for the tenth time, this year from 25 May to 5 June. It is organized by One World in Schools, one of the educational programs of the organization People in Need. Slovakia is joining the initiative for the second time through the Media Literacy+ platform, which, in addition to traditional events in libraries, also organized the school competition Responsible Influencer. The competition highlights the fact that influencers today reach large audiences and can shape the opinions and behavior of young people, while also teaching what to focus on when assessing their responsibility, transparency, and fairness.
The aim is to help not only young people but media consumers of all ages better understand how the media operate, think critically, recognize manipulative techniques, and distinguish serious journalism from subjective opinions or advertising. Media literacy is a key skill of the 21st century, and strengthening it is essential for the healthy functioning of society.