At the international conference Defending Democracy: Horizons of Freedom, Lina Kushch, First Secretary of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, addressed the panel “AI, Disinformation & the Post-Truth / Post-Shame World.” Kushch highlighted that, in the midst of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the rise of AI-generated content and the influence of big tech platforms are reshaping the way information spreads:

Joining you was challenging for me because I am currently in Kyiv, Ukraine, and we are experiencing severe power outages. For example, today I have only three hours of electricity during the day and some hours during the night. So, connecting to this conference and maintaining a stable connection was difficult.

Regarding AI, disinformation, and the impact of big tech platforms: we have seen that while social media has been the main channel for spreading disinformation over the past few years, generative AI models, such as GPT, have now joined the fray. Social media, reinforced by AI-generated content, leaves ordinary people in virtual spaces with almost no escape from its harmful influence.

How does this manifest? One example is the spread of Russian narratives within the Ukrainian segment of social media. This includes exaggerating the successes of the Russian army and denying Russia’s war crimes. AI can use democratic tools and approaches to spread information, even creating multiple versions of events, including absolute falsehoods about Russian war crimes. This was seen in cases like MH17 and continues today. The goal is often to make these extreme narratives a subject of public discussion.

Earlier this year, for instance, the so-called peace deal became a topic of discussion. Instead of focusing on the real issue—the Russian aggression—debates shifted to the terms of the agreement: which Ukrainian territories should be “given up” or recognized as Russian. The fundamental problems, like justice for victims and accountability for the aggressor, are often ignored. For Ukrainians, justice is essential; no agreement should be made without accountability for survivors and victims.

At the same time, big tech platforms are becoming a sort of ruling class in the information society. Journalists might believe we can choose what to write and publish freely, but the experience of Ukrainian media shows otherwise. Many outlets have faced blocking and content restrictions, demonstrating digital censorship.

For example, a journalist from Neproi John in Ukraine had a YouTube channel with 700,000 subscribers dedicated to football. After 2022, he shifted focus to war and politics. YouTube placed the channel in a “shadow ban,” reducing viewers from hundreds of thousands to only hundreds per video. Many Ukrainian media outlets face similar problems. Platforms determine not only what we communicate but also which words and illustrations we can use. Even high-profile figures, like the president of the Ukrainian Journalists’ Union, have been banned for posting content about wounded journalists, without any recourse for weeks.

Ukrainian scientists and experts view this phenomenon as a systematic tool for creating a parallel reality. In occupied territories, Russia has attempted to indoctrinate students and children, spreading propaganda across multiple platforms to create loyal citizens. Research shows that Telegram became a primary starting point for Russian disinformation, though other platforms are also used.

What can journalists and Ukrainian citizens do? First, we need domestic fact-checking organizations and to develop fact-checking skills among journalists. Ukraine has national fact-checking tests organized annually by the Ministry of Culture, with over 200,000 participants. Second, we need international collaboration between journalists and civil society activists to expose Russian fake news networks and propaganda, including content generated by AI models.

These networks spread disinformation across countries, undermining trust in authorities, European institutions, and European values. Defending these values should be our daily mission through common efforts.

Thank you for understanding the situation, for your solidarity, and I look forward to future collaboration.

This article and refined transcript were prepared by the author with AI-assisted language refinement and editorial support. The content remains fully faithful to the original video address. All responsibility for interpretation and publication rests with the author.

Watch the full video from the conference: