Disentangling the Digital Battlefield: How the Internet Has Changed War

Journalists have described the invasion of Ukraine as the world’s “first TikTok war,” the most “internet-accessible war in history,” and history’s “most viral” social media war. But this kind of hype tells us only so much about the real impact of digital technology on the current conflict. 

So far, three significant digital trends have emerged from the war in Ukraine. First, technological innovation has helped Ukraine to offset Russia’s conventional military advantage, particularly by increasing the participation of ordinary citizens. Second, as these citizens have become uniquely involved in digital warfighting, the lines between civilian and military actors have blurred.