Social media and political propaganda
Between the horrors of the Epstein files, ICE raids, and war in the Middle East, the international scene is messy, to say the least. The news we consume helps us unravel this mess, but according to Media in Canada, only 15 percent of Canadians subscribe to e-news. Let’s be real—for some of us, the only news channel we’re consuming is the constant run of CP24 in Ned’s Café. Most updates on current events come to us through social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and X. This is not inherently a bad thing; in fact, one of the many benefits of social media is that it makes information more accessible.
It is debatable, however, if the consumption of news through the medium of social media is appropriate. This goes beyond the fact-checking of information online. This debate surrounds the use of memes, many of which concern current events. Is humour really acceptable when people are being beaten, brutalised and starved, when adults and children alike are being killed, and when people are being ripped from their homes? Humour is promoted by algorithms, which push this content down our throats whether we want to see it or not. Our consumption of information is shrouded in hilarity, normalising violence. Through memes, people have become comfortable with the cognitive dissonance of vehemently opposing the fall of democracy in conversation, then jumping online to laugh at all the memes surrounding the American president.
According to Dr. Tine Munk, “memes can carry strategic political messages that shape beliefs, normalize aggression, and distort reality.” In his article on ‘Memetic warfare,’ he explains that memes are modern-day propaganda: they carry implicit or explicit messaging that shapes the way we perceive information, impacting our attitudes and appealing to our emotions. The concept of memetic warfare has gained some traction online, and some individuals claim that it’s a propaganda tactic used by the CIA. Regardless of the CIA’s involvement, we are engaging in memetic warfare every time we engage with memes on these issues.
The use of memes as information warfare is not a new concept. Memes played a part in the 2016 American presidential election; a decade later, they still heavily influence our views on modern-day politics. Since we consume so many memes, it’s easy to view them as harmless, which is what makes them such an effective propaganda tool, says Dr. Munk. According to Tom Ascott, Digital Communications Manager at RUSI, there are ‘trolls’ who get paid to create and spread politically charged memes. The fact that people are able to capitalize on the usage of memes as propaganda hints at their efficacy.
By no means does this suggest that we abandon political memes entirely. They can be an excellent way to push back against the dominant social order. If they can be used as propaganda to support one cause, they can also be used to support other causes. But critical thinking is necessary when consuming media, to spot when content is designed to manipulate. Understanding the severity of normalisation through humour and using this to drive our critical thinking, mitigates the harm and positions us to take action.
Thank you to my dear friend Sasha Adamova who helped me edit this article.
