Information tools as an instrument of unconventional warfare are actively used by states around the world. On the territory of Ukraine, the aggressor state, the Russian Federation, uses almost all methods of hybrid warfare, and after the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, the frequency and intensity of these actions have increased significantly. To spread the kind of information it needs, Russia actively uses fake news and manipulation tools through various popular media sources and accounts of well-known media personalities. This combination of technical and psychological methods of influencing the information space contributes to social tensions and destabilisation in different regions, which can damage the international reputation of the country at war and influence the worldview of its citizens. It can also distort historical memory, create false national ideas, etc.
The mechanism of spreading fake news is mainly based on a combination of deliberately false information contained in a fake message and its strong emotional impact on a person through the effect of ’emotional contagion’. At the peak of emotional stress, a person often feels the need to immediately share such resonant news with his or her close circle. Under the influence of the emotions caused by fake news, they begin to act as repeaters of information, leading to the rapid spread of false news and an emotional impact on society.
The purpose of fake information is to keep the audience’s attention for as long as possible. This gradually creates a favourable environment for the manipulation of people’s minds, who eventually begin to perceive the information received as their own beliefs. By the time society is focused on discussing a fake issue, the information agenda has already been changed and the main goal of the fake has been achieved. Thanks to this approach to spreading fakes, their creators can provoke extremist and terrorist actions, discredit political opponents, and cause mass unrest and panic in society.
Among the characteristic features of hostile fakes (especially those from Russia, the aggressor) are: simplicity (usually information is oversimplified without reference to any research or other data that might be relevant); emphasis on emotional impact through the use of words such as “attention”, “shock”, “sensation”, “important”, “very important”, etc. Such messages do not mention sources of information. Such messages do not mention any sources of information. The main goal of such fake news is to spread panic among Ukrainians and create an atmosphere of fear and tension. It is worth paying attention and questioning the headlines you read in the media, especially those that contain some kind of sensationalism.
Such texts usually have a non-standard format and the tone of the presentation is emotionally charged. The source of such information is often the so-called “exclusive data from friends, acquaintances in the prosecutor’s office, police, military commissariat, etc.”. The distribution channels are also usually unknown, mostly by word of mouth.
Before spreading information via social media or private messages, it is worth considering the consequences. You should be wary of messages containing appeals such as ‘nobody knows’, ‘we have been betrayed’, ‘it is absolutely true’, etc., as they are often used as a tool of manipulation.
The main characteristics of the spread of fakes are:
1. Virality and speed – thanks to social media, blogs and forums are becoming an ideal environment for the rapid spread of fake news. As fake content is often based on sensational stories, it easily reaches a large number of users who share it;
2. Segmented targeting – Fake news is often targeted at specific audiences, taking into account their social, political and cultural characteristics. These fakes can be targeted to specific age groups or social communities where their impact is maximised;
3. Anonymity and pseudo-sources – the creation of fake profiles, anonymous accounts or pseudo-sites that are difficult to verify as authentic. The anonymity of the source allows any statement to be disseminated without the risk of liability for its accuracy;
4. Deepfakes – because of the development of artificial intelligence and software, new types of fakes have emerged that look extremely realistic. Deepfakes are often used to create videos in which celebrities or politicians appear to make statements that they never actually made.
For example, in 2022, after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a fake video featuring President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appeared on social media. In the video, the head of state allegedly ‘calls on the people to surrender’. However, users quickly exposed the fake and Zelenskyy himself promptly recorded his debunking. In May of the same year, scammers launched a deepfake featuring Elon Musk ‘calling for investment’ in an obvious scam. The video was posted on a YouTube channel with over 100,000 subscribers and managed to get over 90,000 views before the account was deleted.
One of the most effective ways to counter disinformation is through fact-checking, a process of verifying the accuracy of information. In Ukraine, there are several fact-checking platforms, including StopFake, VoxCheck, “Behind the News” and others, that work to identify fakes and share true information about a particular event or person. These organisations regularly check news stories, statements by public figures, photos and videos, exposing various types of manipulation. We can also mention the project “Beyond Putin’s Lies”, which refuted the statements of the president of the aggressor country, Putin, about Ukraine, especially about its origin and history.
At the international level, there are powerful fact-checking platforms such as Politifact, FactCheck.org and Snopes, which work with major media and social networks to combat hoaxes, fakes, misinformation of various kinds. An important part of their activities is the spread of explanatory materials to increase media literacy. There is also the International Federation of Fact-Checkers (IFCN). Its main idea is to create a community of reliable fact-checkers. They have even created a special “Code of principles” for this purpose.
In addition to the publications mentioned above, a number of NGOs are professionally addressing the problem of verifying information and the threat of Russian propaganda in Ukraine: Detector Media, the Institute of Mass Information, the Ukrainian Crisis Media Centre and Internews Ukraine. Ukraine has also set up a number of government agencies to combat fake news. In particular, in 2021, the Centre for Countering Disinformation was established as a working body under the National Security and Defence Council. Its task is to take measures aimed at neutralising current and potential threats to Ukraine’s national security and interests in the information space. The Centre is responsible for ensuring information security, detecting fakes, countering disinformation, hostile propaganda and various destructive information campaigns. It also works to prevent attempts to manipulate public opinion.
Russia has long sought to destabilise the situation in Ukraine through its propaganda machine. To prevent the enemy from succeeding, it is important to learn how to distinguish fakes and manipulations from real information. Here are some useful methods and recommendations that ordinary online users can use to effectively combat fake news:
Critical thinking and healthy scepticism. You need to be careful about what you read online – don’t let your emotions override your common sense. If the author has only one point of view and is desperate to convince you that he or she is right, you may be dealing with a fake.
You also need to check the sources cited by the author and not take all the information at face value. If the text or video contains a link to a particular source, you should check that the news is actually published there. Quotes and data should also be checked as they can be taken out of context or even falsified.
Another useful tip is to read carefully whether the author uses emotionally charged or suspicious phrases. This will help you spot fakes, which often appear on social media without specific sources. Authors may refer to some ‘insider’ data that is difficult to verify in order to make themselves look more convincing.
Look for information in Google’s news section or on the official pages of government and reputable organisations. Looking at other sources and expert opinions will help you understand how true the news is, if at all.
If the headline seems too sensational or fantastic, it could be clickbait. Read the entire text to see if the content matches the headline, including whether the text contains facts, quotes from experts or eyewitnesses.
Find out if the image is authentic and relevant to the news story. For example, a photo might be old or out of context. Use your browser’s “Find This Image” feature to find out when and where the image was first published.
A large number of spelling or syntax errors, or poor machine translation, may indicate that you are looking at a fake.
At the end of the article on the importance of verifying information posted on the Internews Ukraine’s website, the authors give readers advice on what questions to ask to spot fake news. Here are some of the questions they mentioned:
In summary, a whole range of measures must be taken to effectively counter disinformation: active work by fact-checking and analysis organisations, constant monitoring of all media, regular verification of the veracity of information and its sources, open and transparent communication in the information environment, especially with regard to debunked fakes, and organising systematic counter-attacks on fakes. And, of course, each of us should master the basic principles of media literacy and verify the information we consume, asking ourselves questions about the veracity of any news. Today, we need to inform the public about fake news, unreliable online sources and how they work so that we as citizens won’t fall into the trap of russian propaganda. Knowledge and social awareness are the main weapons against lies.
