Gen Z users on TikTok and Instagram Posted Videos over Russian Military Buildups

Listen to this article

Multiple reports have indicated that teens and adults of Gen Z are using TikTok and Instagram platforms to discuss Ukraine and Russia. Some are requesting Russian leader Vladimir Putin (calling Vladdy Daddy) to avoid beginning a war. TikTok videos are now considered a perfect source to analyze the Russian buildup of over 100 thousand troops along with the Ukrainian border. However, Moscow rejected Western allegations for planning to attack its neighboring country. Thousands of social media users left their comments during recent weeks on Instagram posts of unofficial accounts of Russian President Putin.

Statement from Meta (Facebook)

The spokesperson of Facebook (Meta) said the social giant isn’t attentive to any official presence of Putin on Facebook or Instagram. The social media users nicknamed Russian leader ‘Vladdy Daddy’. Moreover, Generation Z features people born between 1990 and 2010. 12 years old Hanka from Slovakia acknowledged the meme from TikTok. She made comments on one of the posts and said ‘Vladdy Daddy Please No War’. Another user said in comments, ‘Mercury in negative Vladdy this isn’t you’.

Hanka said, she and her friends were telling the truth and they forced me to type that. Another user on Twitter from Poland, 16 years old Lena also criticized the meme. Lena said she doesn’t think people are observing it just as a meme or a joke because it is a critical situation. Most of the messages and videos didn’t show the location of their posts. It is noteworthy that TikTok is one of the most famous social media platforms in Russia with 40 million users per month.

Byte Dance as Source for Political Contents

TikTok has experienced a massive increase in users during recent years. The Chinese company app Byte Dance became popular for teens over dance trends and viral contests. It has now become a major source of political content. A researcher at the UK-based Center for Information Resilience, Nina Jankowitz issued a statement. She said it is a better way as TikTok is connecting younger people to world events and politics.

Nina added that no other social platform has yet done that for the same level. But online engagement will efficiently produce offline actions including massive protests. Most of the videos have explained the tension between Russia and Ukraine is circulating from the West and others. A 21 years old student at Fordham University in New York, Myca Hinton posted news and videos on TikTok. She has discovered thousands of views on her videos over the crisis.

Major Source of Information for Research

The users in the region posted videos on TikTok and these videos were also used to track Russian military equipment. A researcher at the Digital Forensic Research Lab of Atlantic Council, Michael Sheldon issued a statement. He said that he was tracking Russian military equipment using videos posted on TikTok. These videos were a major source for his research, which has clearly shown military buildups. TikTok is considered the main source of visual information regarding the military buildup from Russia.

Ukrainian People will Raise Flags on February 16

It is important that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the people to raise flags and sing the national anthem on 16th February. He said they informed us 16th February could be the day of a Russian attack. Ukrainian people will efficiently make it a day of unity. Russia is trying to terrorize the Ukrainian people and naming a date for the beginning of severe military action. Ukrainians will hang their national flag, wear blue and yellow banners to show their unity on February 16, 2022.