Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
The West Is Still Oblivious to Russia's Information War
Paralyzed by free speech concerns, Western governments are loath to act.
A few weeks ago, a Russian autocrat addressed millions of Western citizens in a propaganda event that would have been unthinkable a generation agoyet is so normal today as to be almost unremarkable. Tucker Carlsons interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin has now been viewed more than 120 million times on YouTube and X, formerly known as Twitter. Despite the tedium of Putins two-hour-long lecture about an imaginary Russian and Ukrainian history, the streaming and promotion of the interview by Western platforms is only the latest successful foray in Russias information war against the West, which Moscow is showing every sign of winning. And in this war, the Kremlin is not just weaponizing social media, but relying on Westerners themselves to spread its messages far and wide.
A decade into Russias all-out information war, the social media companies seem to have forgotten their promises to act after the 2016 U.S. presidential election interference scandal, when Russian-sponsored posts reached 126 million Americans on Facebook alone. Policymakers not only seem oblivious to the full breadth and scope of Russias information war, but fears about stifling freedom of speech and contributing to political polarization have led them and the social media companies to largely refrain from any action to stop Russias ongoing campaign.
This inaction comes amid growing signs of Russian influence operations that have deeply penetrated Western politics and society. Dozensif not hundreds or moreof Russian agents have been observed everywhere from English towns to Canadian universities. Many of these agents are low-level and appear to achieve little individually, but occasionally they penetrate institutions, companies, and governments. Meanwhile, a flood of money props up Moscows ambitions, including hundreds of millions of dollars the Kremlin is pouring into influencing elections, with some of that money covertly (and overtly) funneled to political parties and individual politicians. For many decades, Western societies have been deluged with every sort of influence imaginable.
While there have been some countermeasures since the start of Russias latest warincluding the United States and European Union shutting off access to Russian media networks such as RT and Sputnik in early 2022these small, ineffective steps are the equivalent of information war virtue signaling. They do not fundamentally change Western governments lack of any coherent approach to the many vectors of Russian disinformation and hybrid warfare. At the very moment when Kremlin narratives on social media are beginning to seriously undermine support for Ukraine, Western governments handle on the disinformation crisis seems to be getting weaker by the day.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/03/09/russia-putin-disinformation-propaganda-hybrid-war/
A few weeks ago, a Russian autocrat addressed millions of Western citizens in a propaganda event that would have been unthinkable a generation agoyet is so normal today as to be almost unremarkable. Tucker Carlsons interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin has now been viewed more than 120 million times on YouTube and X, formerly known as Twitter. Despite the tedium of Putins two-hour-long lecture about an imaginary Russian and Ukrainian history, the streaming and promotion of the interview by Western platforms is only the latest successful foray in Russias information war against the West, which Moscow is showing every sign of winning. And in this war, the Kremlin is not just weaponizing social media, but relying on Westerners themselves to spread its messages far and wide.
A decade into Russias all-out information war, the social media companies seem to have forgotten their promises to act after the 2016 U.S. presidential election interference scandal, when Russian-sponsored posts reached 126 million Americans on Facebook alone. Policymakers not only seem oblivious to the full breadth and scope of Russias information war, but fears about stifling freedom of speech and contributing to political polarization have led them and the social media companies to largely refrain from any action to stop Russias ongoing campaign.
This inaction comes amid growing signs of Russian influence operations that have deeply penetrated Western politics and society. Dozensif not hundreds or moreof Russian agents have been observed everywhere from English towns to Canadian universities. Many of these agents are low-level and appear to achieve little individually, but occasionally they penetrate institutions, companies, and governments. Meanwhile, a flood of money props up Moscows ambitions, including hundreds of millions of dollars the Kremlin is pouring into influencing elections, with some of that money covertly (and overtly) funneled to political parties and individual politicians. For many decades, Western societies have been deluged with every sort of influence imaginable.
While there have been some countermeasures since the start of Russias latest warincluding the United States and European Union shutting off access to Russian media networks such as RT and Sputnik in early 2022these small, ineffective steps are the equivalent of information war virtue signaling. They do not fundamentally change Western governments lack of any coherent approach to the many vectors of Russian disinformation and hybrid warfare. At the very moment when Kremlin narratives on social media are beginning to seriously undermine support for Ukraine, Western governments handle on the disinformation crisis seems to be getting weaker by the day.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/03/09/russia-putin-disinformation-propaganda-hybrid-war/
(Full article viewable in Reader View)
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
1 replies, 402 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (9)
ReplyReply to this post
1 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
The West Is Still Oblivious to Russia's Information War (Original Post)
Emrys
Mar 10
OP
pwb
(11,292 posts)1. People don't have to know about any of that?
I believe we have people working hard everyday protecting us all over the world. Russia is lifted up to be more than it really is lately. They don't scare me in any regard. They are more of a world nuisance. IMO.