The war in Ukraine has revealed a new dimension to social media’s role in communication. Some have even called it the world’s first “TikTok war.” What they mean by this is that first-hand experiences of the war have never before been shared as widely over social networks like TikTok. Researchers Florian Primig, Hanna Szabó, and Pilar Lacasa at Freie Universität have been carrying out analyses of these videos. In their most recent study they discuss “distant suffering” on social networks. TikTok users convey their personal experiences of the war to other people with emotional content, thus bringing the war closer to their audience.

Thanks to social media, many people abroad have been moved to help the people of Ukraine. The notifications for air raid alerts that pop up on smartphone screens across Ukraine can help save lives. Social media can also offer a kind of moral support. Funny memes are shared and disinformation is debunked under the popular hashtag “NAFO,” aka “North Atlantic Fella Organization,” a play on the abbreviation NATO. Social networks offer Russian independent media, who were forced to leave the country, a way of communicating with their audience back in Russia.

Another important aspect of social media in the context of the war is “OSINT,” which means “Open Source Intelligence.” This term refers to the use of open sources on the internet to seek information. It is a tactic not just employed by the military, but also by media professionals and the wider public. For example, the mothers of Russian soldiers can search for their sons who are prisoners of war over Telegram channels that are run by the Ukrainian side.

But social media also has its dark sides. The internet is flooded with disinformation. A prime example is that the Kremlin runs countless Telegram channels to spread its propaganda – including in Germany. That is why it is crucial that we promote media literacy so that people can critically interpret media sources, which is particularly important in times of crisis.

The original article was published in the recent Tagesspiegel supplement. You can read it here in German.