Can our gaming teenagers talk to Russia?

[Levitating]

I wasn’t really sure where to put this on Mumsnet - but couldn’t find any similar threads.

We had a vigil for Ukraine locally yesterday and on the way home I was talking to my kids about what’s going on and how it affects teenagers in Russia.

My DS, like millions of others, is a gamer and according to him, there are still many Russian gamers active. I don’t think gaming has been pulled yet, like the social media platforms.

I asked if he could talk to them / hear them and he said yes, but he usually mutes them as he can’t understand anything. I asked if he could message and he said he could, but obviously he’d need something translated, no point in posting a message in English.

I was just wondering if this could be an opportunity? Just as people are posting translated statements on Russian restaurant reviews.

What if we (Mumsnet members who know active gamers prepared to post messages) could start an information campaign to Russia via our teenagers?

???

[quote AppleNo8]@NuffSaidSam perhaps in general, but not tech savvy online gamers.[/quote]
Even in that community there will be reasonable numbers who don't speak English or don't speak it well enough to have a conversion about the situation in Ukraine. It wasn't a strange assumption for the OP to make, more a reasonable one based on facts.

I obviously lack the imagination to follow but I can’t figure out what you mean about posting restaurant reviews in Russian!

@WhiteCatmas

That gave me and my children the biggest laugh today. Thank you.

Why I don't get it?

What's funny about trying to think of ways for Russians tohave access to the truth that may not otherwise be available to them?

@SpeckledlyHen

This week I’ve posted about a dozen Russian restaurant ‘reviews’ every day and also messaged various Ukrainian sellers on Etsy to check that they still have access to their accounts, before buying various items I will never receive. I know others doing the same on Air BnB.

Yes it’s a drop in the ocean, but better than doing nowt.

The kids said yesterday after the vigil that they feel ‘useless’ and I thought it might be something positive they could do.

I was wondering about this too OP as my son plays online and mainly against Russians. They have been communicating loosely for years by using Google translate (though I'm not sure how well?)

A lot of the non-Russian gamers on there have put up Ukrainian flags within the game (battle based game). However, as another PP said, the Russians playing these games are the kind that are more aware of what goes on outside Russia and more likely to know the reality of the situation anyway.

What they could do though, I don't know? But I understand where you are coming from, all this blocking of communication and this seems like an easy way to try and communicate, until this gets stopped too.

Russia weren’t as quick clamping down in tiktok as they were other social media... young people in Russia were very aware of what was going on at least during the first few days and vocal about not supporting it - at least they were for the first few days until it became more, we are not allowed to post anything that isn’t the official Russian version of events.

So yeah, gamers aren’t who need to see stuff tbh.

This wins then 'most condescending shit I've read all week' award.

I've lived in Russia. I went to university in Russia. I speak Russian and have studied Russia.
This does not fly.
Also just for statistics sake, Russia has the highest levels of education in the world, in its populations and has for a number of years.

Also, if you think we, in the west are getting an unvarnished, true picture, you are as ludicrous as this thread suggests.
Our media is almost as shockingly partisan as the Russian one.

@WotgunShedding …I have just cut and pasted the details here:

Here’s an idea if you are feeling you want to DO SOMETHING to help Ukraine - found on Twitter.

Find a business in Russia on Google Maps, leave five stars and then ‘review’ with this statement about the situation in the Ukraine:

The Russian to cut and paste is here:

Было хорошо! Однако, Путин испортил нам настроение, вторгшись в Украину. Восстаньте против своего диктатора, прекратите убивать невинных людей! Ваше правительство лжет вам. Восстаньте!

Try Google Maps and any other review site covering Russia. Restaurants, businesses, Universities. Note: Trip Advisor is now blocking / deleting sadly.

I think it was an interesting suggestion! My son 15 definitely games with Russians.

@WhiteCatmas

That gave me and my children the biggest laugh today. Thank you.

Either you’ve posted on the wrong thread @WhiteCatmas or you’re just being awkward, nasty and unnecessary. I’d like to think it’s the former.

@Levitating I think it’s a sweet idea and hadn’t even crossed my mind. The trip advisor is a good idea. I’ve heard of the air B and B think.

I think I’ll leave this thread now - it’s basically a waste of time. Can’t see the point in it. Thanks to those who saw I’m just trying to do something positive. x

I don’t really get the negative responses. It seems like as good a way as any to reach the population. Not that I’m a gamer myself.

I don’t know about gaming and how easy it is for the state to monitor if not on VPN. If people from outside started adding political stuff would the Russian government just stop people playing?

It would make a great film if nothing else.

English gamer: how can I save my little boy from Oppenheimer's deadly toy?

Russian gamer: plz send Rokexes and Levits.

FIN

@Levitating

Wtaf

'Было хорошо! Однако, Путин испортил нам настроение, вторгшись в Украину. Восстаньте против своего диктатора, прекратите убивать невинных людей! Ваше правительство лжет вам. Восстаньте!'

Do not post this! You do realise Putin has a lot of support right? You do know you are under the spell of western media right? - just as much as the 'helpless Russians'? Fucking hell.

[quote Levitating]@WotgunShedding …I have just cut and pasted the details here:

Here’s an idea if you are feeling you want to DO SOMETHING to help Ukraine - found on Twitter.

Find a business in Russia on Google Maps, leave five stars and then ‘review’ with this statement about the situation in the Ukraine:

The Russian to cut and paste is here:

Было хорошо! Однако, Путин испортил нам настроение, вторгшись в Украину. Восстаньте против своего диктатора, прекратите убивать невинных людей! Ваше правительство лжет вам. Восстаньте!

Try Google Maps and any other review site covering Russia. Restaurants, businesses, Universities. Note: Trip Advisor is now blocking / deleting sadly.[/quote]
I suppose you mean well , but as another poster has said your approach is a tad condescending. As for your suggestion to copy and paste the review in Russian it reads as : we had fun , but then Putin spoiled our mood by invasion of Ukraine. Rebel against your dictator and stop murdering innocent people. Your government lies to you. Rebel!.
Now , I don't live in Russia, but my friends do , and I can assure you that you might want a different approach if you want people on your side. I would start rethinking calling them murderers , and maybe have something written by someone who actually speaks the language.

As everybody noticed gaming community would be tech savvy so able to get info if they want. And they will have far better knowledge of English then average Russian. However you can’t be sure that they are teenagers, you can’t be sure that they are in Russia atm, you can’t be sure they don’t understand English.

It’s in the news that Russia introduced draconian laws for any protests/mentioning of war etc. I would be very careful advising from here to Russians, especially to young people.

This is the problem with pasting stuff that you don't know the meaning of. At the very least write something yourself and Google Translate it, it'll almost certainly come across better than that.

WhiteCatmas

That gave me and my children the biggest laugh today. Thank you.

Well how weird and bitchy does that make you sound ...

I get where you're coming from OP x

There is really no need to be snarky . It doesn't make you edgy the OP was trying to think of something positive.

I get the impression that some posters think they are terribly edgy as they are gamers and thought it was ok to sneer. Its not and you damn well know that's not the attitude with most gamers. My dp had a particularly emotive discussion with a Ukrainian who he plays a game with and messaged to say he was going off line due to having to evacuate, he actually got a lot of support from his online friends. Anyone who sneers is one of those idiots who thinks they can gatekeep gaming.... made them and their children laugh huh? I'd be truly ashamed of my parenting if that was the case.

There's nothing wrong with thinking of these things. I hope those who have sneered recognise how pathetic they are. It doesn't make you edgy, or alternative or anything else. It makes you an ignorant and crappy human being. Well done achievement for being prissy and petty unlocked

@WhiteCatmas

That gave me and my children the biggest laugh today. Thank you.

Gosh, you must live a very sheltered and lonely life if this is what made you laugh the most today. My advice would be to get out more and stop being so patronising.

You do know you are under the spell of western media right?

Yeah but the western countries are not invading another country so there is a slight difference there.

@Nietzschethehiker it's not just snark. It's irritation at some saviour complex trying to educate Russians on what's really happening. It's ridiculous. Russians are not morons or children.

@thecatmother

Please could you supply me with something more appropriate?

... if the Russians love their gamers too ...