Expert: Social media clips sparking anger or despair classic PSYOPS triggers

A classic PSYOPS trigger is when a social media clip provokes strong anger, panic, or hopelessness.

Ukrinform reports this, citing information and communications technology expert Yurii Antoshchuk.

“If a video triggers intense anger, panic, or despair, that’s a classic PSYOPS trigger. You shouldn’t react immediately – that’s exactly what it’s designed for. It’s important to recognize the basic signs of manipulation: excessive emotionality, appeals to fear or shame, lack of concrete sources (‘they say,’ ‘everyone says’), or strange artifacts in the video (abnormal movements, glitchy faces, unnatural lip movements),” Antoshchuk said.

He added that if a clip is obviously propaganda or fake, the best approach is not to comment, but to report it directly on the platform (using the ‘Report’ option in the post menu, selecting categories like incitement to violence or fake news). This reduces its reach and signals the platform.

“Don’t engage in emotional debates with bots in the comments – there may be many supportive comments from bot networks amplifying the post,” the expert advised.

According to Antoshchuk, if you feel compelled to respond, it’s better to create a separate post on your own page explaining the issue rather than sharing the original clip or post.

As previously reported by Ukrinform, Telegram is not the only platform used by Russian intelligence for recruitment – young people can also be targeted through online games and themed forums.