The Weaponisation of Social Media, Crowdfunding and Drones

Abstract

Russia’s failure to defeat Ukraine has opened a virtual Pandora’s box of the digital age, unleashing unforeseen changes to the character of war. Runar Spansvoll describes and explores how social, financial and technology-driven changes have enabled social media, crowdfunding and commercial drones to become weaponised in Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s war of aggression. The main finding is that the three elements–social media, digital crowdfunding and commercial drones–have converged into a potent triad that is bringing evolutionary changes to the character of contemporary war and warfare.◼