From nukes to nap charts, how social media warps reality

As conflicts continue to unfold around the world with varying degrees of American involvement, experts are urging veterans and the public to stay cautious about the flood of war-related content circulating on social media.

While global conflicts are real and carry significant dangers, analysts say online platforms are increasingly driven by the pursuit of views and engagement rather than accuracy. This dynamic has led to a surge in both genuine war footage and digital simulations, including AI-generated videos depicting hypothetical scenarios such as attacks on the United States.

Social media users are often exposed to dramatic visuals and charts that, while eye-catching, may lack meaningful context. One recent example involved a graph showing the number of nuclear weapons owned by different countries. The same data visualization template has also been used in unrelated topics, such as illustrating how various animals require different amounts of sleep, underscoring how digital tools are frequently repurposed to capitalize on trending news topics.

Experts warn that combining topical issues with fear-inducing imagery is a tactic used to drive high levels of engagement and generate profit from fear-based clicks.

Veterans and other consumers are advised not to rely solely on social media clips for news about ongoing conflicts. Fact-checking and consulting multiple credible sources remain critical steps for ensuring information is accurate and contextualized.