/ground-report/media/post_banners/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/How-TikTok-Helps-Show-the-Reality-of-the-War-in-Ukraine.jpg)
Ground Report | New Delhi: TikTok videos Ukraine war; TikTok's regular schedule, consisting mostly of dances, videos of cuddly pets, and fitness tips, has been radically transformed since last week when Russia decided to invade Ukraine. Many of the videos that have gone viral on the internet showing acts of bravery and the impact of conflict on the lives of ordinary people are being posted on social networks and spread around the world. News from the front is coming from members of Gen Z with smartphones in hand.
TikTok's own algorithm, which drives videos that are booming even for those who don't follow the author of the post, is making the content spread quickly, and with a huge reach. The platform now has 1 billion users worldwide and celebrities and ordinary users share the spotlight.
The social network has become so influential for war propaganda that even the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has made an appeal to “tiktokers”. In a speech to the Ukrainian nation, he said they could help end the conflict. Many took the request seriously and adopted a stance of bringing knowledge and information to the Western public.
In addition to the real-time footage of the attacks and destruction, many local influencers and celebrities have used the platform to ask for humanitarian aid and spread information about welcoming refugees. The Russian population that does not agree with the invasion is also using TikTok to make harsh criticisms of Vladimir Putin's regime and the invasion.
But as with other social networks, the real records of the conflict are mixed with fake news, images from war games and old Palestinian and Israeli recordings. In an interview with Reuters, a spokesperson for TikTok stated that it is working with verification agencies to separate true posts from false ones. “We continue to closely monitor the situation to respond to trends and remove content that violates the rules, including harmful disinformation and promoting violence,” he said.
On Monday, February 27, Roskomnadzor, the Putin government's communications regulator, asked TikTok to suspend its recommendation of military-themed videos to minors, saying the content was "anti-Russia". Before, the same organ prohibited the local press from using expressions such as “war” and “invasion”. According to Roskomnadzor, the correct one would be “special operation in Donbass”. Anything goes in the information war.
With information from Reuters.
You can connect with Ground Report on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Whatsapp and Subscribe to our YouTube channel. For suggestions and writeups mail us at [email protected] TikTok videos Ukraine war
ALSO READ:
