Is Russia using Minecraft, World of Tanks, other video games as propaganda weapon? Here's what report claims
video games such as Minecraft and World of Tanks are allegedly being used to spread Russian propaganda by Kremlin, a report has claimed. The report in New York Times report has claimed how the Russian players have been actively taking a dig into Ukraine through games and social media.
MineCraft, World of TanksRussians, who play Minecraft, re-enacted the battle for Soledar. Soledar is a city in Ukraine captured by Russian forces in January. In Roblox, a user created Interior Ministry forces to celebrate Russia Day. Well, that’s not all; in World of Tanks, a channel paid tribute to the defeat of Nazi Germany by recreating the Soviet Union's tank parade in Moscow, the report stated.
How 'propaganda' worksThis isn’t a single-time or once-in-a-blue-moon effort. There have been several attempts that drew flak or came to light. Here are some more examples, as highlighted in the report. Players have adopted “Z” which symbolizes the Russian troops from the invasion. Moreover, the report notes that they have even hailed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attempts to speak ill of Ukrainians and hold the West responsible for the ongoing conflict, as per the report in New York Times. If this wasn’t enough, a video tutorial on Minecraft displayed a Russian flag on a flagpole over a cityscape labeled as Luhansk, a Ukrainian province that Russia has unlawfully annexed, accompanied by the declaration «Glory to Russia.»
Microsoft broke the silenceMicrosoft's VC president Brad Smith revealed in April that the company's security teams identified recent Russian attempts to infiltrate gaming communities, particularly in Minecraft and Discord discussion groups. Examples of propaganda and extremist content in video games have shown both
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