VR-INSTALLATION ON MEDIA LITERACY
PROPAGANDARIUM
challenge
Omnipresent and relentless Kremlin propaganda
Having lived through Russia’s years-long hybrid aggression, Ukrainians may feel that they know everything about disinformation. Absurd memes like the “crucified boy”, “piece of land”, “two slaves” come immediately to mind. But time passes, propaganda adapts, and disinformation becomes more sophisticated and cunning. How can the average citizen identify high-quality media content amidst a sea of nonsense? How can one keep sane in a world oversaturated with data?
solution
Doctor Fakeologist is waiting
In order to popularize media literacy, we decided to try using infotainment. This was the genesis of our “Propagandarium” installation with two interactive rooms.
The installation was staffed by “fakeologists.” Using the “fakeometer”, they measure visitors’ levels of “Kiseliovs” [named for Dmitry Kiseliov, Russian media’s most prolific disinformer]. The joke puts visitors at ease and encourages more a positive perception of information.
Guests first walk into the Propaganda Museum, with bright examples of Russian manipulations on TV, social media platforms and online outlets. Snippets of TV shows hosted by Kremlin propagandists (such as Kiseliov, Skabeeva andSolovyov), statements from Russian President Putin, articles from "Kremlin mouthpiece" outlets – all of these elements demonstrate the toxicity of propaganda. It not only twists the facts, but also distorts the reality of its audience.
In the second room, visitors put on VR goggles to look through 360-degree videos about the most common Russian propaganda narratives about Ukraine. The walls of the media literacy room are covered with educational posters about the key characteristics of fake news, propaganda channels and basic rules for media hygiene.
At the beginning and at the end of their visit, visitors take an online test. It helps them to see how the installation has improved their media literacy skills. After passing the test successfully, the visitors receive themed merchandise: eco-bags, bright stickers and a leaflet called How to Protect Yourself from Kremlin Propaganda and Manipulations.
The full-length installation ran for three weeks in Kramatorsk and Odesa. Condensed versions ran in Kyiv (at “Planet NGO” during Atlas Weekend), Kharkiv (at the Donbas Media Forum), Vuhledar, Volnovakha and Manhush (at the festival “From a country to Ukraine”). Thus, special attention was given to the East and South of Ukraine.
According to Ihor Stokoz, the then-Deputy Head of Donetsk Regional State Administration speaking at the installation opening in Kramatorsk, “the exhibition is very relevant for inhabitants of Donetsk Oblast, because we are one of the most vulnerable targets of Russian information warfare. We are losing totally to our enemy in this information war and the important issue for today is to teach Ukrainians to perceive information critically, to check sources and to stand up to manipulation”.
outcome
Saying “I Won't Get Fooled”
During Propagandarium’s five month tour around the country, we got:
- approximately 2300 interactions with visitors;
- 114 pieces in media outlets, including 17 TV spots;
- more than 200 mentions of the project on social media platforms with the hashtags #Пропагандаріум (Propagandarium) and #НеВедуся (I Won't Get Fooled).
The fact that the opening in Kramatorsk was visited by then-Deputy Minister of Information Policy of Ukraine Dmytro Zolotukhin and Mr. Stokoz also contributed to its high media publicity.
“70-80% of Ukrainians consume information from TV channels and, therefore, believe in the reality which is broadcasted on television. Experimental projects like Propagandarium, with their different approaches and entertainment elements, draw people’s attention to media literacy issues and, as a result, we can achieve the required educational effect”, explained former Deputy Minister of Information Policy Dmytro Zolotukhin.
Most importantly, the project impressed and inspired visitors, who rated its interactivity and technical level highly. Guests of installation noted that the project needed to be scaled, because it helps people to think seriously and carefully about their media consumption. You can see some visitor feedback from here.
“Very interesting initiative, I hope that from now on, more and more people will enhance their media literacy skills”.
“You did a great thing. After only a few minutes, I received a huge amount of useful content. I wish you patience and media-iterate visitors”.
“It was very interesting to go deeper in this topic. I suppose that in our time it is very important to explain to people the importance of critical thinking as well as to help them not to be manipulated. You’re doing great in creating these projects. Thank you!”
“I didn’t expect that it would be so interesting; everything was clear, vivid, simple, wonderful. It would have been great to bring my grandfather here to cure him of propaganda, and not only him”.
“Thank you for such an essential project in our time, as the information war is being waged against our country. I wish you nothing but success!”.
But that’s not the end of the Propagandarium' story: new cities and new “patients” for vaccination against propaganda are waiting for us ahead. All this will be done to make Ukrainians completely Kiseliov-free!
The project was implemented by Internews Ukraine with the support of “Media program in Ukraine” financed by The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by the international organization Internews.