Social Media’s Day of Reckoning Has Arrived as Russia Invades Ukraine

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc., are all playing a pivotal role in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Many of us have never had such a front-row seat to war. Every major news outlet has people on the ground reporting the situation.

But this time, it is different. We do not just see what the reporters are showing; we see firsthand what is happening on the streets, in the homes, and the minds of those most severely affected by Russia’s actions.

How social media is defining this war

Social media is putting us in the scene. We can hear the fighters, see the smoke, hear the cries for help. It is taking us into the battle and working to shine a light on the lies put forth by the Russian government.

We can complain about the uselessness or usefulness of social media all day long, but right now, it is playing a vital role in how this act of aggression is playing out across the world.

Look at these headlines: (follow links to read further)

Russia limiting access to Facebook over fact-checking row

Russia-Ukraine crisis | Facebook bans Russia state media from running ads, monetizing

How protesters in Russia and Ukraine are avoiding internet censorship — and jail

The threat to the safety of the Russian people is real and palpable, but they have discovered creative ways to get their messages across while avoiding being arrested or censored.

The Los Angeles Times reports: “an Instagram user posted an image with no clear discernible meaning — rows of man-walking emojis, a sketched profile of a woman’s head, and the number seven — to indicate the time and place of a protest.”

Many of us have never been subject to this type of censorship and can not comprehend the need for anonymity and secrecy. But for these brave souls, they have found a microphone on social media.

Social media is giving voice to the people.

Russia is trying to control a false narrative while the world sees firsthand the atrocities play out. But Putin’s citizens are using social media platforms to speak out and show the world they are not supporting his aggression towards Ukraine. They are showing the world this is not a war they want. It is not their story.

There have been numerous images circulating across the internet of Russians gathering in St. Petersburg, protesting what their government is doing to the Ukrainian people. They are quickly shared across social media platforms, and every corner of the world witnesses the violence and heartbreak.

The above link is from Twitter @KevingRothrock

Twitter is hot with tweets around the clock as people from around the globe are voicing outrage and fear for what the Ukrainian people are facing. Social media is giving the world a collective voice of disgust.

Ukrainian President Zelensky uses his Telegram social media channel (social media and message app) to get his words out to his people. From there, it gets shared across platforms. Then major news outlets across the world pick it up and broadcast it.

The following clip is from NBC News.

Putin has underestimated the difficulty in harnessing the power of social media and is now struggling to deliver his accounting of why invading Ukraine was necessary. The days of censorship are fading as technology gets more sophisticated and harder to control.

Social media has become entrenched in our daily lives. It surrounds us at work, home, and school. However, never before have we witnessed its impact worldwide. Like any tool in the hands of fallible humans, it has the capacity for good and evil. But social media is doing the right thing today.

The story was originally posted on Medium.