| When war goes online, disinformation spreads like wildfire and hate like an infectious disease. As a reporter covering war and conflict, recently, nearly on a daily basis, one is used to a deluge of images and videos depicting horrific scenes and being a part of tougher, more emotional conversations. They are even more intense for those colleagues reporting from the ground.
Some conversations with colleagues and peers in the past days have been horrifying. For example, one that comes to mind was a discussion with a source who thought it was perfectly normal to discuss which particular way of killing an infant is worse.
As war is present on our iPhones, our screens and in nearly every piece we write, journalists are often horrified by the reaction it causes, both on and offline.
When scrolling through your favourite social media feed – pick your poison – it has been shocking to see how the information space has turned into its very own ferocious battleground.
True, state-sponsored information wars existed well before the invention of the internet, but social media has enabled all kinds of propaganda and dangerous falsehoods that rapidly reach millions of followers, often much faster than credible, verified information can.
Social media has changed quite a bit in just a few months.
We saw a new kind of information warfare emerge after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, where state and non-state actors spread competing narratives about the war and portrayed the ongoing conflict on their own terms.
Social media platforms and national governments have attempted to enact various policies to limit the spread of disinformation.
Their application, however, has been fragmented, depending on the platform and geography.
This is particularly true on X. | 