The multiplication of daily publications on the Russian war makes it difficult to follow news and information. Many users of social networks have wanted to express their position in correspondence, either accompanying their “@” or nickname with a Ukrainian or Russian flag, or with hashtags or other messages. In the Western world, support for the Ukrainian people and the pointing out of Putin prevail.
The digital field is very broad and this is evident through the evaluation system of Google Reviews. Following a campaign launched by the Anonymous collective in response to a request from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense on Twitter, a significant number of users rated various restaurants in Russia with 5 stars. And they placed in the comments messages of support for Ukraine and stories about what has been happening in various attacked cities in order to circumvent the censorship imposed in that country, as well as misinformation.
Through this mechanism, the algorithm is forced to show the best reviews first, without intervening in their content.
Many users of social networks were enthusiastic about being able to act against what they have considered an injustice, even if it was from a distance and only on the digital plane. Even the debate on concrete actions transcended a long thread on reddit.
On these actions Also included were images showing the Russian army and its armored vehicles storming various cities in the invaded country.
Part of the messages that could be read between the last days of February and the beginning of March 2022, according to Masablethey were:
The meal was excellent! Unfortunately, Putin spoiled our appetite by invading Ukraine. Stand up to his dictator, stop killing innocent people! His government is lying to them. Get up! Google “kyiv” and putler [sic] and share it with all the people in Russia.
The food is great, but your leader is killing innocent people in the Ukraine! Stop this war.
Such was the response from Internet users that the Grand Café Shivag in Moscow had to ban reviews through Tripadvisor until further notice.
These messages have now disappeared, although they have been immortalized on various websites and social media posts, and on various media that have echoed. Likewise, they set an important precedent for the civic and asymmetric struggle that Internet users can exercise through various digital channels.
Twitter, weapon of defense and diplomacy
A tweet from the Ukrainian minister of digital transformation was enough for the Starlink satellite internet service to be deployed over Ukraine freely and free of charge, almost immediately after the request. something that also has positioned Elon Musk with a very concrete action.
Minister Mykhailo Fedorov also urged other companies to help them in defense actions. Many have been thanked for their support with concrete actions.
Although in some cases has had to insist before the indifference or involuntary omission of those involved.
On the other hand, the official profile @Ukraine has been exploiting the message of figures of the mainstream in your favor for increase the reach of the messagegetting like this important answers and people’s reactions. What in communication is called engagement and that drives the algorithms of the platforms to give greater visibility to the contents.
through this profile Pepsi was summoned to leave the Russian market while Coke delayed its decision until March 4. Among the messages, someone asked if finally the “war of queues would have a definitive winner”. Image or reputation crisis in sight? Until the second week of March, the tweet accumulated more than 65,000 “likes” and almost 10,000 retweets while both companies have temporarily ceased their functions in that country.
Other digital actions of the internet community
The cyber activist group Anonymous has also claimed responsibility for changing the identification of Putin’s luxury yacht in global navigation systems. Bloomberg journalist Ryan Gallagher echoed this news and reviewed it through his Twitter account.
One of altered data It indicated that the boat had crashed on the Ukrainian Snake Island. Also, in the itinerary they changed the destination to “hell” and the yacht identification, from Graceful to “FCKPTN”.
TikTok flavored war performance
It is the first war with witnesses empowered with mobile phones and devices, massive access to networks and connectivity. The disaster is documented at every moment and is acted out in a kind of performance of the conflict via TikTok.
The projection of digital voices in Putin’s Russia must be uncomfortable. His government promotes a legal regime that persecutes digital dissidence. Thus TikTok has declared the temporary cessation of its social video service in this country, leaving only the internal messaging service enabled in the apps mobile.
People seek to express themselves through disruptive pathways and, of course, the memes they cannot go under the table. Right now they are a valuable resource for express through satire fear, frustration or even pain.
Even though the advertising also do use of this narrative.
First moves into the metaverse
It has transpired in the media how the Ukrainians have been receiving aid and collaborations through cryptocurrencies. Likewise, it has been denounced that the Russian oligarchs are evading part of the sanctions with them. The Ukrainian authorities have promoted this route for its flexibility and decentralization.
As one of the latest strategies, the Ukrainian minister for digital transformation announced the creation of a NFT collection in order to obtain financing for his army.
In this area it is also worth mentioning the incipient metaverse. Although there is no indication that Russian propaganda has penetrated territories such as Decentraland or The Sandbox, yes there are companies on the blockchain as Arweave that they are looking to store all Russian digital propaganda instead of censoring or deleting it like the major social networks are doing.
The argument of those responsible for this platform is the need to preserve for history all the elements that allow us to understand how the motivations that lead to this type of crisis work.
However, just as users are focused on social networks talking, giving their opinions and referencing such an unfortunate context, it is not unreasonable to think that there is very little left for virtual scenarios with the possibility of socializing to succumb to this.
Ukraine easily navigates in the digital environment
The Ukrainian government seems to be navigating with some ease in the digital environment with a transversal strategy of financing, content production and citizen participation. Participation in the construction of the message is a hallmark of social networks.
Prosumers debate and act on Twitter with passion, even if the arguments are not rational or tenable. And today’s Ukrainian rulers have better understood this dynamic and digital semiotics: it is not about giving visibility, but about involving fellow citizens, involving Europeans and other international actors.
Contrary to the old unidirectional propaganda of the Putin government, at the moment Ukrainian interests advance in a decentralized way on the internet.
Pavel Sidorenko BautistaProfessor and researcher at the Faculty of Business and Communication, UNIR – International University of La Rioja ; Jose Maria Herranz de la CasaAssociate Professor of Journalism, Castilla-La Mancha university; John Louis ManfrediPrince of Asturias Distinguished Professor @Georgetown, Castilla-La Mancha university and Nadia Alonso LopezProfessor and researcher, Polytechnic University of Valencia
This article was originally published on The Conversation. read the original.
