Skip to main content

How Ukrainians have used social media to humiliate the Russians and rally the world

A torrent of real-time videos on Facebook, Telegram, TikTok, and Twitter has blunted Kremlin propaganda and united the globe to Ukraine's side as the country struggles to save its democracy against a military giant. 
 Ukrainians and their allies have used social media to smear, mock, and humiliate the Russians, hoping to lift civilians' spirits while lowering the morale of the invaders amid the most Internet-accessible conflict in history. 

It may have also saved lives: Ukrainians have rushed to spread defense measures, organize escape routes, and film the savagery of a raging conflict. Some believe that the phone footage captured in recent days will be crucial in probing war crimes when the fighting has ended. 

Russia has long been regarded as the Internet's most cunning miscreant, and the country's propaganda machine has for years used social and state-backed media to deceive and disempower its enemies.

However, Ukraine has begun to beat Russia at its own game in many respects, utilizing frequent, vivid communication to foment digital opposition and expose Russia's aggression on a global scale. 

The techniques demonstrate how social media has added a new dimension to modern warfare, demonstrating how the Internet has evolved from a battleground to a weapon for real-world conquest. 

It has also given Ukrainians the feeling that they can participate to the struggle. Solomiia Shalaiska, a graphic designer living in Kyiv, said she felt helpless until she began uploading photographs of pro-Ukraine rallies on an Instagram feed she previously used for art and design.

One graphic, headlined "Realize the Scale of Ukrainian Heroism," a David-and-Goliath-style map contrasting the sizes of both nations, has been "liked" more than 100,000 times in the last day. Shalaiska stated that she had joined the country's budding "IT army" of volunteer hackers and hellraisers who have tried to fight Russian psychological tactics by overcrowding their websites and spamming their intelligence personnel. (Shalaiska stated that she has largely assisted by disseminating information and reporting bots.)

Other posts have proven to be effective weapons for strategy and intimidation, allowing Ukrainians to share videos and intelligence concerning Russian saboteurs' code signs, the burnt husks of Russian military vehicles, and the plundered remains of dead enemy troops. 

Ukrainians have also posted online tactical guidelines on how to avoid sniper fire, block roads, and build molotov cocktails, often with memes claiming the Russians will find them "quite tasty."

It's really vital to [strengthen] Ukrainian national spirit, which is why people are producing memes and encouraging photos," she said on Instagram. People should have access to sources other than Russian propaganda.

How Ukraine is winning the propaganda war


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

5 Social Media News Stories You Need to Read This Week

  1. TikTok creates an online course to enable marketers.  TikTok launched a free online course on how to utilize the platform in the best way for your brand.  You can learn a lot of tips and tricks on how to use TikTok for your business in terms of targeting, inspirational ideas, and many more 2. YouTube sets the scene for the 2022 Super Bowl Ads. It’s that time of the year when all marketers are preparing some popcorn and sitting in front of the TV/laptop to get some inspiration.  The Super Bowl has been the right place to see ad masterpieces for many years and YouTube is setting the stage for the 2022 edition.  Check out  YouTube’s AdBlitz  for more inspiration. 3. Instagram finds new ways to monetize the platform for creators. Good news for all Instagram creators! The platform is testing new ways for you to get subscriptions and monetize your business model.  “With Instagram Subscriptions, creators can develop deeper connections with their mos...

Five Reasons Why Excessive News Consumption is Harmful to Your Health

When is enough, enough?   Are you a self-proclaimed news junkie? Do you spend hours scrolling through your social media feeds to consume the latest political, health, environmental or technology news? Understanding current events and what’s happening around the world keeps us informed and helps us to understand what might affect our lives. But when does news consumption become harmful to our mental health and productivity? Negative news stories increase personal worry We’re inundated with negative news stories daily. Conflicts, natural disasters, and other upsetting events are routinely pushed to our news feeds on social media, in newspapers, and through our electronic devices. Often times we feel anxious when we hear about distressing events and have empathy for those who are affected. But, did you know that according to psychologists, negative news could aggravate our personal worries that are not even related to the content of the news story?  Solution : If you’re worried a...

Why and when did the US start changing the clock?

Only 70 countries around the world "save daylight" every year Once again, it's that time of year! In the morning, you open your eyes to see the kitchen clock showing 8 am, despite the fact that your alarm clock was scheduled to go off at 7 am. You're certain you'll be late to work.  But hold on a second.  You are on time. Daylight Saving Time is now in effect.  Clocks throughout the globe go forward or backward an hour twice a year, depending on the year.  But why bother? And will the United States' erratic time zones come to an end?  When Daylight Savings Time was first introduced, farmers were given an additional hour in the sun each day for harvesting crops. However, this isn't the underlying reason for its widespread adoption.  By lengthening daylight hours, Daylight Saving Time (DST) reduces power use. To make the most of the longer days, many nations, including the United States, observe Daylight Savings Time (DST) for eight months of the year then r...