The report “Survey on Media Consumption and Disinformation in Georgia 2025” examines the impact of disinformation and perceptions of foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) on the country’s information ecosystem, based on a telephone survey of 1,053 people and five focus groups conducted among Georgian-speaking populations.
The findings reveal high levels of distrust in the media and low levels of media literacy, with significant inequalities across social groups and territories. The study also identifies a worrying alignment between domestic narratives and Russian-origin disinformation messages, which portray Western actors as threats to Georgia’s sovereignty and national values.
According to the study, older people, rural populations, and those with lower levels of education are the most exposed to disinformation, due to limited access to diverse media and weak verification practices. Young people mainly consume information through social media, show low trust in content, and, although they are more likely to verify information, remain vulnerable due to algorithmic exposure. In terms of gender, women follow the news more regularly, while men are more skeptical but rely more heavily on social media; both groups display different vulnerabilities and perceptions regarding foreign interference.
A call to strengthen media literacy
The report highlights the urgent need to strengthen media literacy and fact-checking skills, especially among vulnerable groups: older people, rural communities, linguistic minorities, and citizens with lower levels of education.
This study is part of the European Union–funded project “SAFIMI Georgia: Georgian Society Against FIMI, Disinformation and Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour”, coordinated by Maldita.es in collaboration with Media Development Foundation (Georgia), Transparency International (Georgia), and Transatlantic Foundation (Belgium). The results contribute to a better understanding of media consumption patterns and disinformation risks in contexts of high polarization and informational vulnerability.