As Russia reportedly scrambles to win the war against Ukraine, Kremlin finds new and innovative ways to advance its agenda, targeting younger audiences through the immersive world of popular video games and feeding them a torrent of propaganda.
What Happened: In an attempt to promote its views, Russian players in Minecraft, owned by Microsoft Corporation MSFT, recreated battles and captured cities, sharing videos on VKontakte, a popular social media network in the country, reported The New York Times.
The Russian version of World of Tanks also commemorated the defeat of Nazi Germany with a tank parade in Moscow in 1945 — a theme frequently used by President Vladimir Putin to build support for the ongoing conflict.
Similarly, on Roblox, players celebrated Russia Day with various Interior Ministry forces.
Microsoft’s president, Brad Smith, acknowledged that Russian efforts to penetrate gaming communities were identified but downplayed their significance. “In truth, it’s not the No. 1 thing we should worry about,” he said during an economic conference in April.
On the other hand, Clint Watts, head of Microsoft’s threat analysis team, has previously said that the Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary force, used platforms like Discord and Steam to promote “malign narratives” supporting the Kremlin’s views, potentially encouraging enlistments amidst heavy combat casualties, the report noted.
Why It’s Important: While some content reflects ordinary Russians’ views, others suggest government involvement. It was earlier reported by Business Insider that Russia has been scrambling to find missiles to fire missiles at Ukraine.
However, the country’s use of Western social media, consumer products, and gaming platforms shows its resilience in promoting political goals.
Earlier this month, it was reported that paid features of Twitter Blue, a subscription service offered by the social media platform, have been inadvertently aiding the spread of fake news, particularly concerning the Russian-Ukraine war.
Wikipedia also reportedly became a host to significant misinformation around the Russia-Ukraine War due to some malevolent editor accounts. However, at the time, it wasn’t concluded that the editors acting in bad faith were necessarily backed by the Russian President or the government.
Image Credits – Shutterstock
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