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?

???

My dh is a gamer, currently WOW classic, and he has noticed a lack of Russians playing. Normally they are all over the place, causing havoc.

[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]
What exactly do you think this is going to do? That someone will read it and think "Yes, my entire outlook has been changed."

It does nothing except make you feel better.

[quote Levitating]@thecatmother

Please could you supply me with something more appropriate?[/quote]
Sorry , not my place to supply you with something appropriate. You have initiated the idea.
Just imagine yourself, in a place of an average person, in Russia. What will get you to see the situation differently, what will help you to go against the country politics?
Write it in English, then ask someone who does speak the language to translate it for you.

So to the Russian experts here - what would you suggest my son says it writes? Nothing?
What do you think we Westerners (including all the old fart 50+ Non-gaming Mums) should do? Nothing?

For info: I don’t get all my news from BBC and other news channels. It’s at times like this that verified Twitter posts are far more accurate.

I’m sorry if my post seemed condescending to some. I really was trying to do something positive. And frankly I think some of the responses were just, well… horrible.

…all that is bad about Mumsnet, right here.

How disappointing

Dd has Russians in her gaming group, they are very worried, they hate Putin, they are concerned they will be sent to fight despite being exempt. Two have got relatives in the west and are trying to leave

@Levitating

So to the Russian experts here - what would you suggest my son says it writes? Nothing? What do you think we Westerners (including all the old fart 50+ Non-gaming Mums) should do? Nothing?

For info: I don’t get all my news from BBC and other news channels. It’s at times like this that verified Twitter posts are far more accurate.

I’m sorry if my post seemed condescending to some. I really was trying to do something positive. And frankly I think some of the responses were just, well… horrible.

But what do YOU , as a person, want to communicate to the people that you haven't met? From you to them ? Write that. I appreciate, that you mean well, and that it's easy to get sucked in, in the online hype. But think for yourself and write what really bothers you and your own thoughts. I assure you , it will come across so much better then poorly put together copy and paste.

Do you think any person ever has changed someone's mind with an internet comment? Twitter will tell you that it's very, very rare and generally just causes them to double down.

I'm not sure how censored online games are/can be over there and how anybody in Russia would there to give you an honest answer. I saw a video on youtube the other day (it was subtitled so they could have been talking about anything, really) where - when asked about what he thought about what's going on in Ukraine - one youngster answered that it wouldn't be safe for him to give an answer to this.

@gogohm

Dd has Russians in her gaming group, they are very worried, they hate Putin, they are concerned they will be sent to fight despite being exempt. Two have got relatives in the west and are trying to leave

My university friend's brother is in the same position. She left when she was 18 , and finished her education abroad; he is in Russia and desperate to get out. He cannot go anywhere and seek asylum, as his life is not in danger. He doesn't talk to their parents anymore, as they are pro government and pro "military operations". A famous Russian comedy blogger spent a night in jail , because he was in a wrong place at a wrong time. Independent news channels have suspended their broadcasting due to the new law against "fake news". Basically if the government deems the news "fake" , the people responsible for spreading those can go to prison for up to 15 years. The South of Russia (that's where my friend's family is ) is now having a humanitarian crisis as well, a lot of asylum seekers , who are pro Russian government have crossed the boarder. They need food, supplies and housing. The regular people are collecting money to accommodate those as well. That's the real situation. I wish that a copy and paste on a local eatery site could help...

[quote Alonelonelylonersbadidea]@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.[/quote]
I think this is part of it, some threads are uncomfortable reading on here and I'm surprised mumsnet let's them stand (not this one), a lot are unknowingly ignorant of what it's like for russians. Assuming all of them have no clue and need educating is quite insulting, and to suggest people- probably a large % regular teens / people likely to have access to the wider internet playing their favourite game- should have someone in the UK telling them about stuff they are living through is quite a strange concept.

Russian TV has been hacked by Anonymous on more than one occasion. They've been streaming the truth.

Have you seen the size of the demonstrations in Russia ? People have been protesting in increasing numbers in places like St Petersburg.

The teens are the most likely people to know. They will know how to access the internet without giving away their location so will be able to watch stuff like TikTok where people have described exactly what they see.

@Levitating

So to the Russian experts here - what would you suggest my son says it writes? Nothing? What do you think we Westerners (including all the old fart 50+ Non-gaming Mums) should do? Nothing?

For info: I don’t get all my news from BBC and other news channels. It’s at times like this that verified Twitter posts are far more accurate.

I’m sorry if my post seemed condescending to some. I really was trying to do something positive. And frankly I think some of the responses were just, well… horrible.

You shouldn't have a conversation about Putin with someone who could have people knocking on their door for it. I know from experience that people gaming online can be very young (young primary age on games like Fortnite!) and you don't want to compromise their safety.

Russians know the truth. The majority of under 30s are on TikTok/ gaming/Reddit etc anyway and know what's happening in Ukraine. Not much they can do about it is there... teens don't tend to be army officers. And anyone who tried to stand up to the Russian government would be killed anyway.