Russian Propaganda in Social Media: Threats and Ways of Countering

Abstract

The article researches social media in the context of Russian-Ukrainian information warfare. The author has defined the main purposes of Russian information propaganda and provides examples of pro-Russian narratives which were promoted in social media during 2020–2021. It is noted that nowadays Russian propaganda describes Ukraine only in a negative aspect: as a country suffering from corruption, disorder, emigration and poverty. Such messages are promoted both by national media resources and bloggers-opinion leaders with pro-Russian rhetoric. Particular attention is paid to analysis of anti-vaccine messages which are widely spread through some social media groups under Russia’s control. Transparency of information and lack of control over the social media, on the one hand, give them a status of alternative media and, on the other hand, may cause the destructive behavior of the users (trolling, elfing) and manipulative external influences, in particular, information attacks aiming to spread panic and depression among population, disruption of state sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country etc.The research has revealed that making “fake” news both with “fake” virtual followers (bots or trolls) is an efficient method of promoting necessary messages. Emotional posts or videos with provocative titles, supported by “necessary” comments of bots or trolls have invisible but powerful impact on the consciousness and will of the users. The author has examined algorithms of fake news making, analyzed the ways of combating disinformation and information propaganda (state control, public initiatives, conscious media consumption by citizens). The efficient methods of counteracting Russian propaganda are the following: increase of the proportion of Ukrainian patriotic content in social media, making research and educational projects, implementing lessons on information security and media literacy at secondary and higher educational institutions, involving Ukrainian citizens into advanced training in media literacy.