As the media reports, this innovation in the game, a world brand, will have an algorithm to prevent fake news and deliver authentic content to those who use it. This refers to those users who play the game in Russia, and they number in the millions. Insiders at the video game company say this unusual approach to combating disinformation will be a novelty in the market that will cut through Moscows current state censorship of the truth about the war in Ukraine.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, the Russian government has blocked nearly 500 websites to suppress independent reporting. Among them on the list were news outlets, including Deutsche Welle, the BBC, and others, as well as social media networks such as Instagram and Soundcloud and even the websites of human rights organizations.

To get around this new digital firewall, some media outlets have created creative solutions to "smuggle" information about the Russian war in Ukraine available to people in Russia. In the first weeks of the war, Google reviews or rating portals like Tripadvisor were used to convey messages until American companies ended it.

Now the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat has developed a map for the popular computer game "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive,” which has about four million users in Russia. In the online shooting game, players compete against each other as terrorist or anti-terrorist units. A Finnish newspaper created an in-game map called a Slavic city or "de_voyna.” A map called "War" is a word the Russian media must not use.

Online games are still allowed in Russia.

Antero Muka, the editor-in-chief of Helsing Sanomat, says that this paper has been banned in Russia for a long time, and its website has been blocked there precisely because the paper reports on the events in Ukraine.

"At the end of last year, we started discussing our next step." Then we suddenly got the idea that they still havent banned online games in Russia - and we knew that Counter-Strike is very popular in Russia. " he said for DV.

The map was released on May 3, International Press Freedom Day. In the game, players navigate streets lined with gray, prefabricated buildings. Players can also find a hidden room in the virtual basement, marked by a large monument and a burning car.

It contains news in Russian about the latest developments related to the war against Ukraine, collected by Finnish war correspondents. Messages deposited in the virtual basement include text and images about the Bucha massacre and personal stories, such as that of a father whose baby, wife, and mother-in-law were killed by a Russian cruise missile in Odessa while he was shopping. There are stories about 70,000 Russian soldiers who died in battle and many other information to which the Russian public is denied access.

End of censorship

Meanwhile, the media notes that games used to circumvent state censorship may become more common. But Western experts stress that there are many ways to break through Russian censorship and transmit important information.

For example, people connect to the Internet to bypass blocked websites through a VPN. This virtual private network hides Internet users’ location so they can still access blocked sites in Russia.

Some players criticized the arrogance of Western countries on the online forum Reddit, which is popular among gamers. They say that people in Russia and other countries with heavy censorship do not need help from the West to get information.

"Every new leak in the closed world of censorship is important." There are knowledgeable people in Russia who understand precisely what is happening. We dont want to be arrogant or teach them anything. We want to allow them to get information and keep those lines open - says Antero Muka, editor-in-chief of Helsing Sanomat.

Twitter has withdrawn from the EUs voluntary disinformation code

The social network Twitter has withdrawn from the European Union (EU) voluntary code to combat disinformation. The BBC reports that this news was announced by the EU Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, who warned Elon Musks company that it would have to comply with the new laws.

"Obligations remain. You can run, but you cant hide," Breton wrote on Twitter.

From August 25, Twitter, like all other platforms with more than 45 million monthly active users in the EU, will have a legal obligation to fight disinformation in the bloc.

"Our teams will be ready to implement," added Internal Market Commissioner Breton.

Dozens of tech companies are registered under the EUs disinformation code, including Meta - which owns Facebook and Instagram and Google, Microsoft, TikTok, and Twitch.

Launched last June, the code aims to prevent profiteering from disinformation and fake news and increase transparency to avoid the spread of bots and fake user accounts. Companies that sign the code can decide what promises to make to the EU - cooperating with fact-checkers or monitoring political advertising.

Since Elon Musk took over the social network Twitter, critics say content moderation has been reduced, allowing for the increased spread of misinformation. The social media giant previously had a dedicated team working to combat coordinated disinformation campaigns. Still, experts and former Twitter employees say most of those experts have quit or been fired. Last month, the BBC revealed that hundreds of Russian and Chinese state propaganda profiles were thriving on the social network.

^{North Macedonian Media Partner Link: https://www.slobodenpecat.mk/zapadot-preku-video-igri-kje-ja-uriva-ruskata-drzhavna-cenzura-za-vojnata-vo-ukraina/}