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Dates: 06/2019 - 02/2020
Primary social media: Telegram, Signal, WhatsApp, YouTube
Tactics: Protest organizers used encrypted messaging apps like Telegram, Signal, and WhatsApp to coordinate logistics and targets for protest groups. They also used YouTube to spread news about the protests. -
Dates: 11/2020 - 01/2021
Primary social media: All major platforms - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, podcasts, etc.
Tactics: Pro-Trump accounts spread information that elections were rigged in key states (using videos of supposed fraud, references to lawsuits from Trump, etc.) and drummed up support for a march in Washington DC on Jan. 6, 2021, culminating in the Capitol Riot. -
Dates: 05 / 2020 - 04/2021
Primary social media: YouTube, Instagram, Twitter
Tactics: The video of George Floyd's murder spreads far and wide on social media, inspiring mass protests on a global scale. "I can't breathe" is also spread as a protest slogan. -
Dates: 01/2022 - 02/2022
Primary social media: Facebook, Twitter
Tactics: People participating in the anti-COVID restriction protests in Canada made pleas on major social media websites for donations so they could, in theory, blockade border crossings indefinitely until Canada dropped all of its COVID restrictions. Truckers also organized a large occupation of downtown Ottawa on social media until it was broken up by police. -
Dates: 02/2022 - Present
Primary social media: Twitter
Tactics: Pro-Ukrainian "NAFO" accounts battle pro-Russian "Z" accounts with memes, and status updates on battles won or lost by each side. The goal from the Russian side is to weaken Western support for Ukraine while NAFO mocks their attempts and points out disinformation.