Why it is important you speak up

When I read about the war and see how people discuss the war both online and in traditional media, I see so many myths, false truths or half truths,, that I think it is important to stay alert, be critical and to speak up against people who spread propaganda or spread myths.

The other thing is that the war is probably going to continue for some time, and it is important to continuously remind people that there’s a war going on in Ukraine, where hundreds if not thousands die each day. Unfortunately it’s getting boring for the news outlets to write about the same day in and day out, just like people get fed up hearing about it. Besides new disasters happen everyday and with the risk of inflation, a looming recession and a strained environment, there’s plenty to write about, so the stories about Ukraine slowly slide from the front page to a sub page to finally disappear.

The other thing is that Russia and other authoritarian regimes are using huge resources on spreading misinformation, confusion and making people nervous. The goal is to make as many as possible insecure and even spread fear and chaos among those who support Ukraine’s fight for freedom and independence.

So what can you do?

When it comes to spreading false information or just myths it is important that you call people out.

When you see somebody posting false claims or myths on social media, call them out in the comment section. If you can, link to a reliable source so people can see that it is not just your personal opinion, but it is a true fact. Don’t expect that you can convince the poster to change his or her mind, but by commenting others can see there’s other opinions or that the claims are false.

Also don’t like or share those postings. If you want to show it to somebody we suggest that you make a screen dump and share the screen dump instead. If you share it you just tell the algorithms to rank the false message higher and to show it to more people.

Clearly you can also post yourself on social media where you tell the truth. Just be aware that some will come with hateful comments or try to intimidate you. The best strategy in such cases is just to ignore the hateful comments. Going into a war will only feed them with extra energy.

Generally avoid getting into flame wars. Tell what you think in a sober way and then stay out of heated discussions. Always be calm and avoid getting personal. If you descend to their level it will not only harm the message but also harm your own image and reputation. The more calm you are, the more authoritative you will be in others’ perception.

Also tell friends and family about the situation. Just don’t overdo it. Nobody wants to be with someone who constantly talks about just one subject.

When you come across people who are on Ukraine’s side, connect with them and build up your network. The wider and stronger your network is the easier it is to spread the message. Like if you have a lot of followers who like your message on social media, the algorithms will spread your message to even more people.

To round off, it is very important that you tell about the war and speak up when someone spreads misinformation about the war in Ukraine.