Episode 30: Internet Wars – My Battle with NAFO and the Modern Psyops of Social Media

Episode 30: Internet Wars – My Battle with NAFO and the Modern Psyops of Social Media

In this episode of Elevated Thoughts, I shared a story that goes beyond politics, touching on the evolving nature of online warfare. A few days ago, I found myself at the center of a digital firestorm after calling out NAFO—the North Atlantic Fella Organization—on Twitter. What I thought was a simple, snarky post quickly turned into an overwhelming attack from an army of meme-wielding Shiba Inu profiles, marking one of the strangest experiences I’ve had online.

For those unfamiliar, NAFO is a decentralized online group of Ukraine supporters who use memes to fight Russian disinformation. They sport these cartoonish Shiba Inu dog avatars, often dressed in military gear, and seem to operate with one collective mission: drowning out any anti-Ukraine rhetoric. My initial tweet from a year ago, calling them a psyop, didn’t gain much traction—until now.

The Twitter War

A recent comment from a high-profile Twitter user about NAFO reappeared on my feed, and I made the mistake of adding my voice to the conversation. What followed was pure chaos. Within hours, my old tweet accusing NAFO of being a psyop resurfaced, and the memes started pouring in—along with over 500 comments, many calling me a Russian troll, a “Vatnik,” or worse. They bombarded my account, turning my Twitter feed into a mess of dog-themed memes and insults. It was like facing a digital blitzkrieg, a relentless flood of notifications that made it impossible to use my account.

Despite the vitriol, a few NAFO members engaged in civil conversations, even explaining their mission. I learned that, in their view, I wasn’t just an ordinary critic—I was part of the enemy. But as some of the more level-headed members pointed out, my original post didn’t even criticize the Ukraine war itself; I simply commented on their strange meme culture.

Psyops and the War for Narrative Control

The whole experience got me thinking about the broader implications of groups like NAFO. They claim to be grassroots, but is it truly a decentralized movement? Or is there more coordination behind the scenes? I started digging, and what I found only raised more questions. Studies, like one from the University of Adelaide, suggest that much of the pro-Ukraine content on Twitter may be amplified by bots. In fact, up to 90% of the pro-Ukraine content during the early stages of the war was posted by automated accounts.

This brings up an uncomfortable truth: the line between grassroots movements and astroturfed campaigns is blurring. If NAFO is truly organic, how do we explain the organized waves of attacks and the apparent leadership within their ranks? As I faced down their meme onslaught, I couldn’t help but question the authenticity of their "grassroots" claims.

Joining the Dog Pack? Not So Fast

In the midst of this storm, a few NAFO members told me I could join their ranks—if I donated to Ukraine. Their website even promotes a system where you can earn your Shiba Inu meme dog status by proving your support for Ukraine through donations. Intrigued, I made a small contribution to a Ukrainian aid organization called Saint Javelin, which helps provide both humanitarian aid and drones to the Ukrainian war effort. But even after my donation, I wasn’t welcomed into the fold. Why? Because I support Donald Trump in 2024.

To them, my political stance on Trump disqualified me from becoming a member. They couldn’t reconcile my support for Ukraine with my support for Trump, showing just how politicized this conflict has become—even for those who claim to fight for a unified cause.

A New Age of Information Warfare

This whole experience underscored the growing role of information warfare in today’s political landscape. The battle isn’t just being fought with weapons and soldiers—it’s happening online, through memes, disinformation, and targeted campaigns. NAFO represents a new breed of internet activism, one that blends humor, trolling, and a serious agenda. And while I don’t support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, I can’t help but be skeptical of the methods groups like NAFO use to dominate the narrative.

In the end, the question remains: Is this kind of decentralized warfare helping or hurting the cause? Is flooding social media with memes and dog avatars truly advancing the fight for democracy, or is it just perpetuating more division?

I’ll leave that for you to decide, but one thing is for sure: going to war with a meme army isn’t something I’d recommend.

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1 comment

The why …
https://www.youtube.com/clip/UgkxMEHtfk_CJY6dbK9r1qTHF1EMW3tWpJz_

Robert L Trickle

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