News Item

Why Ukraine war misinformation is so hard to police | CNN

In recent weeks, for example, clips from video games and scenes from old wars presented as views from Ukraine’s front lines have gone viral alongside legitimate images. Heart-wrenching videos of families torn apart have been shared thousands of times, then debunked. And official government accounts from Ukraine and Russia have each made unfounded or misleading statements, which quickly get amplified online.

In some ways, it’s the latest in a long list of recent crises — from the pandemic to the Capitol riot — that have spurred the spread of potentially harmful misinformation. But misinformation experts say there are key differences between the war in Ukraine and other misinformation events that make false claims about the conflict especially insidious and difficult to counter.

Perhaps most notably, Ukraine-related misinformation has been highly visual and is spreading faster across borders, misinformation experts told CNN Business. The direct involvement of Russia — which is known for spreading misinformation online aimed at sowing discord and confusion — adds an extra layer of complexity. The emotional and visceral nature of the content also makes social media users quick to hit the share button, despite the complex misinformation landscape.

[…]

Source: Why Ukraine war misinformation is so hard to police | CNN