The power of social media in the Russia-Ukraine conflict
Social media platforms have a positive impact on war
Maria Simpson / Opinion Editor / The USD Vista
The media’s role in war is no new concept. For many decades, various uses of media have made huge impacts during times of war. During World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt gave his fireside chats to Americans via radio as a way to boost morale and unite the nation. When footage from the Vietnam War was broadcast on television, it became clear to many Americans that the fighting there was pointless and brutal, pushing them to rally for peace.
In this day and age, various social media platforms are showing infographics, discussions, and even memes focused around the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. I believe that social media has had, and will continue to have, a positive impact throughout this conflict, but only if it is used with a conscientious mindset.
While social media was around and utilized during the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars, it has never been so involved in a conflict as it is with Russia and Ukraine. Social media is an incredibly prevalent and ever growing force in most Americans’ lives. There are more platforms and more users than ever before, and they have the power to influence what we wear, what we listen to, how we view certain issues or people, and so much more. Platforms such as Tik Tok even allow individuals to create and post their own short skits or ideas, providing more creative freedom than many other platforms have in the past. Not to mention, there is a big difference between the effect of social media now and the effects of radio and television in the past; while radio and TV are controlled by media personnel, social media opens the stage for anyone to say anything they want.
Ukraine has been given a voice through social media during their unfolding conflict with Russia. They have the tools to show what is happening to their nation and their people, raising more awareness around the unjust and brutal invasion of their country. However, they also express their ideas about the conflict through a very odd twitter account. The official verified Ukraine Twitter, posts many bold memes, expressing their protest against Russia’s invasion. The account’s humorous and almost unprofessional posts shock many people, but it also adds a certain level of humanity and connection: social media users are able to connect with the very real individual who run the account and have more empathy for their situation. The same account was also pushing Twitter users to spam Russia’s Twitter account, outright telling users what they think of Russia’s cruel and catastrophic actions.
Social media acts as a tool, not only for official government accounts, but also for average people across the globe, including most Americans. American social media users have been able to signal their support for Ukraine through social media by reading new information, sharing information with others, and even putting the Ukraine flag in their bios to make it clear who they are standing behind, despite the fact that they are thousands of miles away from the conflict.
The easy access to information and day-to-day updates is one of the reasons why social media is a positive force in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Individuals on a global level are able to keep up with recent developments. Even some college students who don’t often read the news were well aware of the rising tension as Russia waited to invade Ukraine’s border, thanks to updates from news sources on social media.
There are inevitable issues with social media and the Russia-Ukraine conflict though. For example, some people have posted photos and videos that they claim to be of the ongoing conflict that have been proved false. I have also seen many inconsiderate people make memes, TikToks, and other insensitive jokes regarding the horror of the war in Ukraine. They are poking fun at bombings, escaping, and more. It is incredibly offensive for a U.S. citizen who is safe in their home with their family, viewing the conflict from their phone to make fun of such an unbelievable tragedy. Social media is a helpful tool, but only when it is used to inform, not to make poor and cruel jokes. However, the real photos, videos, interviews, and information shared has opened many people’s eyes to the issue, provided basic updates and information, and allowed for discussion to occur within a large audience.
Social media creates a broader exposure to any particular crisis than most people on earth may ever have without access to or use of popular platforms, like Twitter or Instagram. This allows further removed people, such as people within the U.S., to see issues within the conflict and how it is being handled. For example, the media has shown horrific bias towards white, Christian, and European individuals in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This is one side issue that I was originally exposed to these racist comments via Instagram and learning about it was incredibly eye opening to the casual racism implemented in our society, even within discourse around war. Even the incredible horror of war itself has become more apparent to Americans who are living comfortably while Ukrainians are losing everything they know and love. Seeing that tragedy with our own eyes through viral photos and videos helps people around the world understand the gravity of the situation and the horrors of violence. With the initial understanding of these different topics, people on social media are then able to have open discourse around those topics to further educate themselves and others.
The ability to connect with people around the world is one of the enormous benefits of social media in general. This is especially true for countries that control what content their citizens take in, such as Russia. Russia is a big propaganda user, which has become a big issue for citizens during the invasion of Ukraine. Many Russian citizens see no problem with the invasion because they have been told that the Russian military is merely peacekeeping by searching for Neo-Nazis in Ukraine.
Social media offers a glimpse of the horrifying reality of Russia’s action to their citizens. Unfortunately, Putin understands this all too well and recently banned platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, cutting 80 million Russian users from contact with the rest of the world.
Admittedly, it is odd to say that social media is an asset more than a detriment to keeping people informed and helping educate the world about the ensuing war in Ukraine. However, the connection and fast information it provides is undoubtedly valuable during this time.
It has been interesting to see how social media plays into a new large-scale conflict. There is definitely some bad that comes with it, as with most topics on social media, but there is also a lot of good that can hopefully be a part of ending the war and bring peace back to the people of Ukraine. If you are on social media, I encourage you to take the opportunity to educate yourself and have healthy discussions about what is happening as a small way of signaling your support of peace. It is a great tool to share articles, fundraise, and overall allow people around the world to make a positive impact.