NEW RESOURCES

IFL Science: Project Aims To Digitally Preserve Ukraine’s Landmarks And Artifacts Threatened By War. “Called ‘Backup Ukraine,’ the non-profit project is in partnership with the Danish National Committee of the UN’s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Blue Shield Denmark, Polycam, and a VICE media group Using the Polycam app, people can capture data of cultural heritage relics and sites using their camera, then use the app to create three-dimensional renderings of the works, digitally preserving them away from the bombs and missiles.”

This is from the end of February but I completely missed it and haven’t seen mentions of it anywhere. The Social Media Lab at Ryerson University: Introducing The Russia-Ukraine ConflictMisinfo.org Dashboard . “The dashboard is an information management tool for monitoring online misinformation and disinformation about the Russia-Ukraine war. It tracks and visualizes debunked claims from hundreds of trusted fact-checkers based around the world, such as AFP, Reuters, and others. The dashboard is available in English, Ukrainian and Russian.”

TWEAKS AND UPDATES

Washington Post: TikTok created an alternate universe just for Russia. “Last month, as many tech companies sided with Ukraine over Russia’s invasion, TikTok appeared to follow suit by suspending new video uploads and live streams from Russia. The company said it made the move to protect Russian users from the country’s new laws criminalizing criticism of its military. But the wildly popular, Chinese-owned social media app also walled off Russian users from seeing any posts at all from outside the country, including from Ukraine — effectively creating a second, censored version of its platform. For the tens of millions of Russians on TikTok, the outside world has fallen silent.”

AROUND THE INTERNET WORLD

The Conversation: Libraries around the world are helping safeguard Ukrainian books and culture. “Librarians and libraries across the world play a role in preserving and sharing Ukraine’s cultural history. They acquire western observations about Ukraine or material printed on its territories. And people can learn a lot from these resources.”

Deutsche Welle: How Russia is waging a successful propaganda war in Latin America. “Russian state media were a major force in Latin America before the war in Ukraine. Promoting populist content to lure their audience, they are an established presence — not just in countries with authoritarian regimes.”

New York Times: Russian Tech Industry Faces ‘Brain Drain’ as Workers Flee. “By March 22, a Russian tech industry trade group estimated that between 50,000 and 70,000 tech workers had left the country and that an additional 70,000 to 100,000 would soon follow. They are part of a much larger exodus of workers from Russia, but their departure could have an even more lasting impact on the country’s economy.”

Campaign US: It’s our brand: Ukraine’s government turns nation’s bravery into biggest cultural export. “Throughout Vladimir Putin’s bloody attack, one beacon of light cast across all the horrors is the admirable bravery of the Ukrainian nation. So, while other countries base their economies on natural resources like oil, The Office of the President of Ukraine and the Government of Ukraine intend to make bravery Ukraine’s biggest cultural export.”

Slate: The People Who Believe Russia’s Disinformation. “Russia has been running propaganda campaigns since the Cold War. What does feel new is the preponderance of true information available—and perhaps equally importantly, the speed at which it spreads. Social media, satellite imagery, and 24/7 reporting are directly refuting Russian disinformation in real time. That news is only reaching some people, however. It’s worth stepping back to consider the various audiences for Russia’s disinformation campaigns and examine where they’re working and where they’re not.”

SECURITY & LEGAL

Business Insider: Ukrainian prosecutor investigating potential Bucha war crimes says that Russians left behind a computer server that could help identify perpetrators. “The chief regional prosecutor in Bucha, Ukraine, told the New York Times that Russian soldiers left behind a computer server with potentially damning information as investigators are zeroing in on killings and mass graves in the city.”

National Post: Russia’s disinformation campaigns now targeting CAF members, including doctored pictures claiming Canadian military fighting in Ukraine: CSE. “Russia is spreading doctored pictures falsely claiming Canadian military members are currently fighting on the front line in Ukraine as part of a new disinformation campaign targeting Canada, says our country’s digital spy agency.”

The Verge: Ukraine says it stopped a Russian cyberattack on its power grid. “An attack on Ukraine’s power grid was foiled by cybersecurity analysts and officials, as reported by Reuters. After investigating the methods and software used by the attackers, cybersecurity firm ESET says that it was likely carried out by a hacking group called Sandworm, which The Record reports allegedly has ties to the Russian government.”

WIRED: Russia Is Leaking Data Like a Sieve. “Since Russian troops crossed Ukraine’s borders at the end of February, colossal amounts of information about the Russian state and its activities have been made public. The data offers unparalleled glimpses into closed-off private institutions, and it may be a gold mine for investigators, from journalists to those tasked with investigating war crimes. Broadly, the data comes in two flavors: information published proactively by Ukranian authorities or their allies, and information obtained by hacktivists. Hundreds of gigabytes of files and millions of emails have been made public.”

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