Subjectio investigates the methods used by the West and Russia to steer online discussions during ongoing geopolitical conflicts in Southeast and Eastern Europe. United by the concept of “information influence activities,” disinformation and propaganda are distinguished by dozens of techniques and strategies. With a wide palette ranging from illegitimate to illegal, these “information influence activities” are injected in various forms of text, from articles to photo captions. Digital technologies have a significant impact on the form of these activities. The fundamental goals of information control remain the same: to manipulate a political
agenda.
Digital algorithms have become the new gatekeepers. Targeting social media significantly influences major political processes worldwide. The names of organizations, institutions, social groups, and phenomena are transformed, sometimes changing beyond recognition. Even the (mis)spelling of a specific proper noun could lead to a public debate; the disparity in the Russian or Ukrainian spelling of Kiev / Kyiv is an example.
At the illegitimate level, propaganda texts simply ignore unfavorable facts, while at the illegal level, fabricated events, quotes, and anecdotes are added. Manipulative texts are identified by specifically developed vocabulary and pathetic syntactic forms.
Subjectio uncovers the structure of disinformation and propaganda on social media using elaborate digital tools.