The Beginning of a Dystopian World in 2022
On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine and the first major war erupted in Europe for decades. However, there is something different about this war because it is occurring now during the information era, when fake news is rampant. During the Ukrainian-Russian conflict, the Russians began exploiting the use of fake news peddling false narratives to obscure facts. The use of fake news that distorts the truth of the Ukrainian-Russian conflict in eastern Europe is setting the foundation for a dystopian world like 1984 by creating an atmosphere devoid of logic and truth.
The first step to creating a dystopian regime is acquiring the ability to warp true events into developments that benefit the regime. Although the use of fake news has spiked during the Ukrainian-Russian conflict, false information, especially in Russia, is nothing new. One classic example are the numerous explanations for the downed Malaysia Airlines plane over eastern Ukraine in 2014:
Russian media spun out a range of conspiracy theories to explain the tragedy, from the somewhat-plausible to the absurd. The Dutch Joint Investigation Team, which conducted the criminal investigation into the crash, concluded that the aircraft was brought down by a Buk missile system that ultimately belonged to the Russian army. (Hodge)
While the conspiracy theories popping up from the tragedy were mostly unbelievable, the Russian government’s use of fake news started to grow. The amount of fake news that sprang from this incident betrays the fact that the Russian government not only allowed fake news to proliferate in its media but also encouraged it, as most media sources in Russia are controlled by the government. The Russian government also cunningly used fake news to play into the vaccine fears people have, with “recent postings spreading false information that have suggested that the Biden administration is intent on mandating that Americans get vaccines that are failing against the coronavirus” (Barnes). The difference between the Malaysia Airlines incident and Russian COVID-19 vaccine misinformation is that they are used for different purposes. The fake news regarding the Malaysian airlines tragedy was used to try and protect the image of Russia, while vaccine misinformation was mainly used to undermine a powerful government. Another striking difference between these two incidents is the marked growth and intelligence of Russian misinformation. Vaccines, a topic of conversation, encountered doubts and criticism over their effectiveness, and headlines like these add fuel to the fire. Furthermore, this also plays into a cognitive bias, the Texas Sharpshooter. By pumping false articles into the mainstream, more Americans are left confused and untrusting over all news, including scientific results, and more people are joining the anti-vax movement because of “articles backing it up.” After all, “the best books… are those that tell you what you know already” (Orwell 200).The increase of fake news has begun to create the ideal dystopian world where truth is molded into anyone’s liking.
The second step for creating a dystopian regime is using fake news to convince the people that the government is absolute and always right. Just like in 1984 with the positive facade of the Inner Party, Russia portrays their government as heroes against “drug addled neo-Nazis” (Lee Myers). Outside, the world sees Russia as a threat to not only its peaceful neighbor Ukraine but to global democracy and peace. However, through the use of fake news, Russia created an alternative reality, one in which Russia is at war not with Ukraine but with a larger, more pernicious enemy in the West. The reason why Russia is not telling the Russian people what they are actually doing is because they want to maintain the facade of heroism and righteousness. Russia needs to create an environment where the Russian people will only trust the government, even if it is taking actions that can easily break this trust. Even though investigators and debunkers can easily disprove most fake stories, they are fighting against an impossibly extensive deluge of fake news.
Individual lies about bioweapons labs or crisis actors are advanced by Russia as swiftly as they are debunked, with little consistency or logic between them. But supporters stubbornly cling to the overarching belief that something is wrong in Ukraine and Russia will fix it. Those connections prove harder to shake, even as new evidence is introduced. (Lee Myers)
Another reason why Russian misinformation is so hard to stop is because many people are working to create a huge amount of it. Much like the Party’s different branches in the Ministry of Truth, the Russian government also has many branches to create fake news. This shows how dedicated the Russian government is in creating fake news and underlines the similarities between the dystopian Party of 1948 and the government. Even if most of the fake news can be exposed for inaccuracy, the coordination of an entire branch of the Russian government and the years of experience the many people working in it possess have broken the floodgates and entered the mainstream. The portrayal of the government’s enemies as purely enemies, not people, demonstrates the magnitude of Russia's efforts to permanently win the support of their people.
Another aspect of the Party is that all of its news is supporting the Party. Russia is following suit. The government's use of fake news culls any voices speaking against Russian propaganda. In the last two weeks, “Russia's communications watchdog has also cut access to several foreign news organizations' websites, including the BBC and Deutsche Welle, for spreading what it alleged was false information about its war in Ukraine” (Faulconbridge). This highlights the Russian government's restrictions on the worldview of its citizens and is culling the voices who dare to speak out against the government. This sudden information vacuum will cause the people's opinions to align more towards the Russian government until it has forced its people to accept whatever it says as the whole truth. After a recent law, Russian authorities have full control on whatever it deems to be “fake news," and have used it to discredit actual events to the point where “fake news means real news” (Oremus). This is especially dangerous, as Russia is tightening its grip on what the people see, hear, or think. It also spirals down to another level of a dystopian society, where not only is the government always right but anything else is always wrong. The Russian government created a situation where anyone who opens to the truth is condemned and ridiculed, just like in Plato's Allegory of the Cave. This protection of fake Russian news further cements the government's hold on how the people act and think.
Finally, the Russians have mostly accomplished their goal of receiving the Russian peoples’ support for anything they do. For example, many Ukranians who have family in Russia are aghast at the “confounding and almost surreal backlash from family members in Russia, who refuse to believe that Russian soldiers could bomb innocent people, or even that a war is taking place at all” (Hopkins). This clash of views is very interesting because in 1984, Oceania was completely secluded from other nations and therefore did not have any other voices. However, this example shows how frighteningly powerful fake news can be. Even though their family members are trying to convince them of what is actually happening in Ukraine, they refuse to believe them. This shows that the Russian government has managed to accomplish one of the feats the Party was notable for: being able to break the bonds of family. Family members have turned on each other from the fake news, and the Russian people staunchly believe that their government is more knowledgeable than their family who is experiencing the conflict. Not even photos of the conflict can sway them, as the Russian people ironically label them as fake news when their own fake news is pulling in them themselves. At this stage, Russia has almost total control over its citizens. By creating a fake news network that grows each day, “the Kremlin moves to clamp down on independent news reporting while shaping the messages most Russians are receiving” (Hopkins). The Russian citizens have become a populace who blindly follow their government, regardless of what others say about them. Dissent within the population is also stifled each day as the Kremlin moves to crack down on voices against the government with criminal charges and jail time. As the government further molds the thinking and behavior of the Russian citizens, its support will become unyielding and ignorant of whatever contradicts the government. With this support, the Russians may either increase their hold on the Russian populace or use their support to back their other actions.
It is disheartening to see George Orwell’s premonition is becoming a reality. As the information era goes on, the connection that comes with it is a double-edged sword. Real, factual reporting can be spread easily but false misinformation can spread rapidly as well. Yet, Russia is taking the best of both worlds by censoring information that goes against them while quickly spreading large amounts of information that support the government. Russia has created the foundation of a dystopian society with people who blindly support the government. Now, the only difference between the Party and the Russian government is how the Party is stricter. Overall, in the direction Russia's future is heading with the increases of fake news and decreases of factual reporting, Russia will get extremely close to the dystopian society created by the Party. Once it does, it will create a nation that justifies genocide and war.
Rationale
When I was given the option to write a research essay on a current event in the world, my interests naturally gravitated to the major conflict that is happening in Europe. I wondered at how different the last war would be with this conflict, and I decided to dive deeper to find a topic that makes this war unique. During class, Mrs. Wiggins happened to give us an article about how the Ukrainian peoples’ Russian relatives did not believe in the war, no matter what evidence was presented to them by their family members. This interested me, as this was something that the people in 1984 were notorious for: blindly following their government. It also fits into the EQ nicely, as this question is constantly appearing throughout mainstream media today. I find it fascinating and a bit chilling that even in this modern age, where we consider ourselves as civilized people, the line between true, factual reporting and fake news is being blurred.
I learned a lot about fake news in general, but especially how and why it is used. I was also astonished by how powerful Russia’s fake news could be, as it could be used to make family members distrust each other. I enjoyed my topic because not only was it relevant to the modern world but it was also useful for my knowledge and worldview. I learned how deceptive fake news can be and how hard it can be to find factual reporting. I have already written an extensive research paper before, so this process was not new to me. However, one thing I did learn was that the process goes much faster if you have a plan in mind. If I was given another chance to work on this paper, I would draft a more concrete outline with the gist of what I want to say as well. I would also start earlier and do a bit more research on how to write these types of essays, as my writing skills can always improve.
Works Cited
Barnes, Julian E. “Russian Disinformation Targets Vaccines and the Biden Administration.” The New York Times, 5 Aug. 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/08/05/us/politics/covid-vaccines-russian-disinformation.html. Accessed 8 Mar. 2022.
Faulconbridge, Guy. "Russia Fights Back in Information War with Jail Warning." Edited by Simon Cameron-Moore and Angus MacSwan. Reuters, 4 Mar. 2022, www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-introduce-jail-terms-spreading-fake-information-about-army-2022-03-04/. Accessed 6 Mar. 2022.
Hodge, Nathan. "Why Russia Loves Banging on the 'Fake News' Drum." CNN, 4 Feb. 2022, www.cnn.com/2022/02/04/europe/russia-fake-news-propaganda-cmd-intl/index.html. Accessed 8 Mar. 2022.
Hopkins, Valerie. "Ukrainians Find That Relatives in Russia Don't Believe It's a War." The New York Times, 6 Mar. 2022, www.nytimes.com/2022/03/06/world/europe/ukraine-russia-families.html. Accessed 8 Mar. 2022.
Myers, Steven Lee, and Stuart A. Thompson. “Truth Is Another Front in Putin’s War.” The New York Times, 20 Mar. 2022, www.nytimes.com/2022/03/20/world/asia/russia-putin-propaganda-media.html. Accessed 8 Mar. 2022.
Oremus, Will. “Analysis | in Putin’s Russia, ‘Fake News’ Now Means Real News.” Washington Post, March 11, 2022, www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/03/11/russia-fake-news-law-misinformation/. Accessed 8 Mar. 2022.
Orwell, George. 1984. 1949. Harlow, Pearson Education, 8 June 1949.