The report highlights the first viral war in history, with unprecedented online actors participating in the asymmetric conflict in Ukraine. Major technological platforms have transformed into tools of conflict, gathering and sharing data with governments, hacking websites, controlling information, targeting international boycotts, deleting social media accounts, and acting as mobilization and emotional tools. TikTok, with over a billion users, has become a source for rallying support for Ukraine, but also fertile ground for spreading fraudulent accounts distributing false content to quickly gain money through donation requests for the Ukrainian cause. Content creators can receive virtual gifts like digital roses and pandas during live streams, converting them into TikTok's currency which can be withdrawn as real money.
The tech giants of the US, aligned with Western strategy, play an active role, whether by political pressure (Apple suspending sales in Russia), data and information capture (mapping and censorship), or cyber defense (Microsoft sharing attack analysis and technical details). This collaboration extends to cybersecurity, with companies like Hacken arming a global army of hackers to disrupt Russian media platforms and amplify Ukrainian conflict narratives on social media.
Ukraine could be the first battlefield where the two major global digitalization trends meet - Russia and China's techno-authoritarianism versus the Silicon Valley model of the US. The digital world is bifurcating due to the rivalry between China and the US, with Russia's "internet sovereignty" built on information censorship and opposition persecution. Despite this, the war has accelerated and deepened the digital barrier isolating Russians from narratives diverging from the Kremlin's official argument.
Contradictions arise between community efforts to suppress certain media and the instrumentalization of large digital monopolies for strategic purposes, challenging freedom of expression. The founder of the Russian encrypted messaging network, Telegram, advised users to doubt all information found on the platform and not to use it to escalate conflicts or incite ethnic discord. Telegram has become a perfect tool for measuring the clash of narratives about the war, serving as a useful information tool for journalists in Ukraine, especially for creating news channels aimed at a younger audience that no longer listens to traditional radio or watches television.
In terms of ethical and strategic dilemmas, the battle over narrative control also occurs within the EU, which is aware of Russia's influence on European public opinion. Platforms like Google, Meta, and Twitter took measures against accounts spreading disinformation in Ukraine.
The report concludes that the war in Ukraine is a testament to the increasing role of technology in warfare, and the challenges posed by misinformation, cyber attacks, and the manipulation of digital narratives.
