Dipfakes, bots, Russian music and computer games: a mini-series to counter disinformation created in Ukraine
Kyiv • UNN
The 5-part Ukrainian mini-series shows the impact of Russian propaganda on everyday life. The project, featuring opinion leaders, demonstrates how disinformation is changing the way Ukrainians think and culture.
Ukraine has created a mini-series to counter disinformation, as Russians spread disinformation, in particular through bloggers, bots, paid-for articles, and even children's video games. This was announced by the initiator of the project, Bohdan Tymoshchuk, UNN reports.
Tymoshchuk noted that the Russian special operation "Maidan-3" is literally happening before our eyes: the enemies know the most vulnerable points of Ukrainians and appeal to them through bloggers, bots, paid articles and even children's video games, polarizing Ukrainian society.
To help Ukrainians keep a closer eye on their information space, a mini-series on disinformation was filmed in Ukraine. It shows how, even in the most mundane situations, Russian propaganda and IPSO influence people's thinking and change Ukrainian culture.
According to him, the series consists of five short episodes that make viewers take a closer look at their information space. They were not just prepared with boring stories, but modeled real-life situations in which everyone recognizes themselves or their loved ones. These include the impact of hyperbolic news presentation on mature people, listening to Russian music that not only sponsors the war but also erodes Ukrainian culture, dipfakes of presidential addresses, and even hostile information suggestion to children through video games.
"Many Ukrainians still don't realize how much Russian propaganda and ISIS influence them. Every day we come into contact with dozens of pro-Russian narratives, spreading them not only by reposting them on social media, but also in the kitchen among our families. If you think that this has been happening only in recent years, unfortunately, no! We have been actively influenced by information since 2014: information bubbles, bot farms, and the soft power of culture are all effective weapons in the war against Ukrainians," said Bohdan Tymoshchuk, an opinion leader and project initiator.
Opinion leaders, including Masha Efrosinina, Timur and Inna Miroshnichenko, Natalia Ostrovska, Anatoliy Anatolich, Yula, Yevhen Pronin, and professional actors, joined the filming of each episode.
Episode can be viewed on the official website of the Kyiv City Council.
