War propaganda can be a powerful way of shaping international relations and conflicts. It doesn’t just justify armed conflict; it can also prolong it by spreading fear, hatred, and national pride. While propaganda has been part of almost every war looking at historic battles or today’s disputes and wars, there are clear ways to push back against its influence.
The first step in addressing propaganda is understanding how modern conflicts are no longer limited to one region. Today’s wars often reach far beyond their borders, especially through digital platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, or the platform X. State media and proxy groups target different audiences, including diaspora communities, allied countries, or neutral states, by framing their messages in a way that triggers emotional responses. To counter this, efforts to fight propaganda must also be international and not just dealt with on a national basis. Hereby one possible way of tackling this issue could be for Journalists, fact-checkers, and global organizations to work together to respond to false claims in real time. For example, when misleading reports about civilian casualties or so-called “liberation missions” are spread, these alliances can quickly correct them (“Hiding Behind the Coalition,” 2023).
Global partnerships, like those between NGOs and governments, also make it possible to share resources amongst each other. By combining expertise, they can train journalists in conflict zones, translate key reports, or use satellite imagery to verify on-the-ground events and with that do real-time fact-checking. Open-source intelligence communities, for instance, have shown how tools like satellite photos and geolocated social media posts can expose lies about troop movements or ceasefire violations. One example is the “The Eyes on Russia Map” which is an interactive, publicly accessible map created by the OSINT platform Bellingcat. Its main purpose is to visually document and track information about the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The map relies on verified sources such as satellite images, geolocated photos, and videos, as well as eyewitness reports. It offers a clear and reliable way to understand the situation on the ground by combining and presenting this data in one place. Sharing this information publicly increases transparency, which directly challenges the secrecy that propaganda depends on (Strick, 2023).
Media reform is another important piece of the puzzle to be able to solve this problem. Many news outlets, driven by clicks and advertising revenue, unintentionally amplify war propaganda by rushing to report sensational stories without proper verification. The saying “If it bleeds, it leads” still drives many headlines (Zehndorfer, 2025). To fix this, stricter editorial rules are needed, like requiring multiple sources or working with independent fact-checkers before publishing sensitive reports. Although this could slow the news cycle, it would also lower the chances of media becoming a tool for propaganda.
Education is also key to tackling propaganda in the long term. In countries exposed to frequent conflict, teaching media literacy and critical thinking in schools can help people question one-sided or extreme narratives. Nonprofit groups can also organize workshops for older populations or rural communities who might not be used to navigating digital information. These efforts should go beyond simple fact-checking tips. They need to explain how propaganda works, how it taps into emotions like fear and nationalism, and why people might be drawn to such messages, especially in times of crisis. Technology can also play a role, though it comes with challenges. Automated fact-checking tools and AI systems can flag false information, but they aren’t perfect. Errors or biases in these systems could block legitimate content, and sophisticated propagandists can adapt to avoid detection. Still, a balanced approach using ethical AI, transparent data practices, and user-reporting features can slow the spread of false information (How AI Can Also Be Used to Combat Online Disinformation, 2024). Collaboration between tech companies, governments, and civil society is essential to ensure these tools are both fair and effective.
One of the hardest challenges is breaking through echo chambers, both online and offline. Even if false claims are quickly replaced, people who already believe in a certain narrative may dismiss corrections as more propaganda from the “other side.” Repeated exposure to the same viewpoint can deepen these beliefs, creating a loop where new propaganda only strengthens existing biases (Alatawi et al., 2021). To interrupt this cycle, campaigns can focus on fostering dialogue between divided communities, highlighting shared experiences, and promoting open discussion. While these efforts may face resistance, even small steps toward engagement can help disrupt this kind of continues thinking. Finally, whistleblowers and investigative journalists also play a critical role in exposing propaganda operations. Leaks, insider accounts, and in-depth reporting reveal how governments or other groups create and spread propaganda. While whistleblowers often face legal risks and personal threats, their actions can spark public awareness and demand accountability. Laws that protect whistleblowers and investigative journalists are essential for maintaining transparency and countering the secrecy that allows propaganda to thrive.
In conclusion, fighting war propaganda requires many efforts working together—international cooperation, media changes, education, and technology. Each of these approaches tackles a different way propaganda spreads, from emotional manipulation to misleading media practices.
Sources:
Alatawi, F., Cheng, L., Tahir, A., Karami, M., Jiang, B., Black, T., & Liu, H. (2021, December 9). A survey on echo chambers on social media: Description, detection and mitigation. arXiv.org. https://arxiv.org/abs/2112.05084
Hiding behind the coalition. (2023). In Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/report/2018/08/24/hiding-behind-coalition/failure-credibly-investigate-and-provide-redress-unlawful
How AI can also be used to combat online disinformation. (2024, June 14). World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024/06/ai-combat-online-misinformation-disinformation/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Strick, B. (2023, July 24). Over 500 Days of the Russia-Ukraine Monitor Map – bellingcat. Bellingcat. https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2023/07/24/over-500-days-of-the-russia-ukraine-monitor-map/
Zehndorfer, E., PhD. (2025, January 23). Why are news headlines always so negative? Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/political-animals-and-animal-spirits/202501/if-it-bleeds-it-leads
Image Source:
Eyes on Russia map. (n.d.). https://eyesonrussia.org/
