On the issue of media manipulation in the Ukrainian information space: context and review of the book “The Nation of Vegetables? How Information Changes the Thinking and Behavior of Ukrainians” by Oksana Moroz

Abstract

This article examines the issue of media manipulation in the Ukrainian information environment on the example of the book dedicated to this issue by Oksana Moroz “The Nation of Vegetables? How Information Changes the Thinking and Behavior of Ukrainians”. Oksana Moroz was the first in Ukraine to systematically collect and disclose technologies and practices that are used to create media viruses and manipulate the mass consciousness of citizens through the media. The Ukrainian edition is placed in the global context of this issue with an emphasis on such phenomena as information explosion, information fatigue syndrome, data accumulation, information vulnerability of modern humans, artificial intelligence, and integration of individuals and the technologies created by humans. The constructive contribution of the author to the study of this issue and the solution of the problem of manipulation of mass consciousness in Ukrainian society are analyzed. The author gives a lot of insider information gained over the years of working behind the scenes of the media, her book is filled with descriptions of real mechanisms and schemes, which, depending on the available budget, tasks, and tools, create the “information viruses” or large-scale media manipulation in the Ukrainian information area. The main factors of information hygiene formation and their probable effectiveness in the Ukrainian environment are indicated. If people will understand the tools used to manipulate the masses through various media and will be able to track this instrumental footprint, there will be a real way to sort out the situation in the Ukrainian media space. This publication is an attempt to start a discussion and draw attention to an urgent problem that requires a systematic solution at the level of media market regulators in Ukraine and active actions to introduce information hygiene on a national scale.