How Telegram became the digital battlefield in the Russia-Ukraine war. 📝 VeraMBergen
How Telegram Became the Digital Battlefield in the Russia-Ukraine Warefore the Russian military invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, Nataliia Nezhynska had never used Telegram. Now she can’t go a day without the messaging app. It feeds her an endless stream of updates from her native city of Kharkiv, in eastern Ukraine, to her home in Lorton, Va.
The power and peril of Telegram is the product of its lack of oversight. Founded in 2013 by now-exiled Russian brothers Nikolai and Pavel Durov, the messaging app soon became notorious as a haven for extremists like the Islamic State. As social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube cracked down on content from jihadist and extremist groups, the then-obscure messaging service offered them speed, security, and privacy—with little to no moderation.
“Telegram has become this really key battleground in the information war,” says Dr. Ian Garner, a historian and translator of Russian war propaganda. “And it’s interesting that this information war has been outsourced to a private company.”to Telegram. His advisers were early adopters during his 2019 presidential campaign. They used the app to recruit and organize volunteers, often posting exclusive news.
But Ukrainian officials have also found a range of new practical uses for the app. Most cities and towns, as well as their local officials, have their own channels. Authorities share air-raid warnings, maps of bomb shelters, safety advice, and tips for spotting alleged Russian saboteurs.It’s not only a way for Ukrainian officials to get information out, but also for civilians to provide information back to them.
Telegram on Feb. 27. “Today Ukrainians must unite. Contact your relatives, acquaintances and friends in Russia and send them a link to the Telegram channel.”no less important for the Russians. While Telegram has long been popular in Russia, the invasion and the subsequent media crackdown has driven millions of news-starved users to the service. An analysis of 187 Russian-language news channels provided to TIME by Logically, a U.K.
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