The White House has been briefing social media creators about Russia and Ukraine

White House spokeswoman Zhen Zaki and National Security Council officials on Thursday held a conference with about 30 creators covering Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Their social media channelsA White House official confirmed to CNN that Dictok, including YouTube and Twitter. There was explanation The Washington Post first announced.

“The creators were given an overview of the latest in Ukraine, as well as the United States watching where the conflict is moving,” the official said, adding that officials also took questions from participants.

“It was like being given in traditional conference calls to reporters last week,” the official said.

The official pointed to the “million views” created by these creators to illustrate the latest situation in Ukraine over the past few weeks.

“This is one of the basic ways in which Americans (especially young Americans) come to see war in real time,” the official said.

It is also a tactic to combat misinformation led by the Kremlin on social media.

“As the Russian government has begun to pay TikTok creators to create a pro-Kremlin campaign, such summaries are an important tool to ensure that creators can answer their questions and provide accurate information to their followers,” the official said.

Aaron Barnes, a 22-year-old Ukrainian American, has 1.2 million followers. TikTokHe has been posting regularly on the processor since the war began with updates from local journalists and his family in Ukraine, he told CNN.

Barnes was part of a White House call Thursday after management approached him earlier this week.

Barnes – the son of Lev Barnes, a former ally of Rudy Giuliani who worked in Ukraine and was the center of former President Donald Trump’s first indictment – said Biden had nothing to do with his call to the White House. Dad.

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“It was 100% my own. I love my father, but I’m not my father. We are not politically connected anyway,” Barnes said.

Barnes said the White House’s conference with dictators was twofold.

First, the White House provided an overview of what the Biden administration is doing to help Ukraine and described America’s work with local partners in Europe.

Later, Barnes said, White House influencers allowed executives to ask questions about “what people who visit our sites care about.”

“I think the main purpose (of the call) is to involve content creators on these other sites, because, as mentioned in the call, many people on this platform have more followers than some news organizations. So this is another way for the White House to combat misinformation and get accurate information,” he said. Said.

Barnes said he posed a question that many of his followers asked directly.

“My question was, ‘What should Russia do to get more involved with the United States by banning flying or putting American shoes on the ground? What would be the key point needed for that next step, that increase?'”

“That’s a question for me. he said.

Barnes described the call as “honestly surreal”.

“Being on the call is truly a blessing and an honor. As a Ukrainian American, I think the White House is now doing a great job in their relations with Ukraine and the assistance they render. We provide,” he said.

“I think it’s very good that content creators on TikTok and elsewhere are using alternatives to disseminate genuine information and combat misinformation,” Barnes said. “There’s a lot of misinformation that needs to be removed.”

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This is not the first time the White House has engaged with dictator creators to reach younger audiences.

Dr. Anthony Fassi joined several TikTok personalities last summer Series of conversations As part of the drive by the White House and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to increase vaccine rates for young people, the Covit-19 vaccine is important.

This story has been updated with more details.

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