\u202a@Professor-Gerdes\u202c<\/a> talked to us in this episode about the uncovered Russian information influence scheme. <\/p>\n\n\n\nHow Russian propaganda tries to influence the American population and how to distinguish truth from fakes? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Interview with Darin Gerdes<\/strong>, professor of business in Charleston Southern University, author of YouTube channel “Professor Gerdes Explains”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u2014 I would like to ask you about the fight against Russian propaganda in the U.S. in particular. We have this Department of Justice investigation with Tenam Media<\/em> being at the center of this scandal and major U.S. influencers being involved in these manipulations. What can you say about this? Was is unexpected?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\u2014 Yeah, so it appears that the Russians have actually learned and grown organically in how they’ve been conducting this propaganda. They’ve done this in multiple countries, including Europe and the United States. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A great book on this subject is Putin’s Playbook<\/em> by Rebecca Koffler, where she talks about what they’re trying to accomplish\u2014essentially, to sow division and discord wherever possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThey’ve evolved from just one guy in St. Petersburg pushing disinformation to actually getting authentic users involved. This change makes it more credible when it comes from a real person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The big question is whether those authentic users really believe the narratives they\u2019re pushing or if they’re being influenced or even paid by Russia. We don’t know which is this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 It’s a natural integration of Russian propaganda into influencers\u2014YouTubers, Instagram, and Facebook creators\u2014who now claim they were victims of an information operation. But clearly, they were distributing Russian narratives for money, right?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\u2014 Yes, they were getting brand sponsorships, and they should’ve known that the money was disproportionate. I saw Tim Pool being interviewed by Ben Shapiro\u2014both are conservatives. I’m a conservative too, but an old Reagan-style conservative who fully supports Ukraine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nThere’s a branch within the Republican Party, the isolationist wing, that has grown, especially among Trump supporters. Even before the invasion, some conservatives were claiming that it wasn\u2019t Putin\u2019s fault, but rather that neocons were pushing for war.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Some might align with Russian narratives because it matches their beliefs, or they might be influenced unknowingly. Either way, they are pushing Russian narratives, which is clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 Is there a natural way to counter this? The best way to counter propaganda is to prevent it from spreading. What do you think we can do?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\u2014 That’s a tough question. In the U.S., we have a very strong free speech culture, so it’s difficult to stop falsehoods from spreading. The hope is that the truth will beat out the falsehoods, but mainstream media barely covers Ukraine anymore, and only a few YouTubers are regularly reporting on the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, it’s a pitched battle? Ironically, because RT (Russia Today) was pushed off major platforms, it went underground. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nYou can still find RT on its own site, but it\u2019s not as visible as before. Now, they’ve adapted and use social media influencers to spread their narratives. Now it`s harder to counter them, as it was earlier.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
One thing we can do is show the Russian narratives and then debunk them. That’s what I do on my channel\u2014break down what Russian media says and explain the truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s essential that we keep debunking these narratives. I talk to people who unknowingly repeat Russian talking points, like, “Why should we be involved in Ukraine? That’s far away, and we have our own problems.” But this conflict is crucial. It could escalate into something far more dangerous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nEven people I know who are conservative repeat these points without realizing they’re echoing Russian propaganda. They worry about World War III, but that\u2019s why we need to support Ukraine\u2014so we avoid it.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
So, it’s an uphill battle, but Ukraine’s entire struggle has been uphill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Everything Ukraine has faced has been an uphill battle, and yet, here we are, 900 days into what was supposed to be a three-week “special military operation.” We can do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n