this post was submitted on 30 Dec 2025
346 points (99.7% liked)

Europe

8223 readers
1256 users here now

News and information from Europe πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡Ί

(Current banner: La Mancha, Spain. Feel free to post submissions for banner images.)

Rules (2024-08-30)

  1. This is an English-language community. Comments should be in English. Posts can link to non-English news sources when providing a full-text translation in the post description. Automated translations are fine, as long as they don't overly distort the content.
  2. No links to misinformation or commercial advertising. When you post outdated/historic articles, add the year of publication to the post title. Infographics must include a source and a year of creation; if possible, also provide a link to the source.
  3. Be kind to each other, and argue in good faith. Don't post direct insults nor disrespectful and condescending comments. Don't troll nor incite hatred. Don't look for novel argumentation strategies at Wikipedia's List of fallacies.
  4. No bigotry, sexism, racism, antisemitism, islamophobia, dehumanization of minorities, or glorification of National Socialism. We follow German law; don't question the statehood of Israel.
  5. Be the signal, not the noise: Strive to post insightful comments. Add "/s" when you're being sarcastic (and don't use it to break rule no. 3).
  6. If you link to paywalled information, please provide also a link to a freely available archived version. Alternatively, try to find a different source.
  7. Light-hearted content, memes, and posts about your European everyday belong in other communities.
  8. Don't evade bans. If we notice ban evasion, that will result in a permanent ban for all the accounts we can associate with you.
  9. No posts linking to speculative reporting about ongoing events with unclear backgrounds. Please wait at least 12 hours. (E.g., do not post breathless reporting on an ongoing terror attack.)
  10. Always provide context with posts: Don't post uncontextualized images or videos, and don't start discussions without giving some context first.

(This list may get expanded as necessary.)

Posts that link to the following sources will be removed

Unless they're the only sources, please also avoid The Sun, Daily Mail, any "thinktank" type organization, and non-Lemmy social media (incl. Substack). Don't link to Twitter directly, instead use xcancel.com. For Reddit, use old:reddit:com

(Lists may get expanded as necessary.)

Ban lengths, etc.

We will use some leeway to decide whether to remove a comment.

If need be, there are also bans: 3 days for lighter offenses, 7 or 14 days for bigger offenses, and permanent bans for people who don't show any willingness to participate productively. If we think the ban reason is obvious, we may not specifically write to you.

If you want to protest a removal or ban, feel free to write privately to the primary mod account @EuroMod@feddit.org

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

AI-generated videos promoting Poland's exit from the European Union have appeared on Polish-language social media, featuring non-existent, attractive young women advocating for "Polexit".

One TikTok account called "Prawilne Polki" published content showing women dressed in T-shirts bearing Polish flags and patriotic symbols, European analytics collective Res Futura said. The content targeted audiences aged 15 to 25.

The videos featured statements including: "I want Polexit because I want freedom of choice, even if it will be more expensive. I don't remember Poland before the European Union, but I feel it was more Polish then."

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] Gsus4@mander.xyz 110 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago) (1 children)

Apparently this was a real strategy on twitter for the 2024 election: videos of hot women followed by trump messages aimed at young men...and it seems to have worked to at least get them off the couch...just be aware of it ffs (fucking monkey brains)

[–] Serinus@lemmy.world 40 points 8 hours ago (2 children)

Huh. I wonder who would want Poland out of the EU and why.

[–] Mika@piefed.ca 24 points 7 hours ago

usa and russia

[–] Gsus4@mander.xyz 19 points 8 hours ago (1 children)
[–] tomiant@piefed.social 9 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

That too was a Russian psyop. If we don't fight this shit, Poland will fall for it, they are ripe for this type of demagoguery.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Abrinoxus@lemmy.today 68 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

predictible horny rightwing is predictable

[–] brbposting@sh.itjust.works 15 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Let he amongst us who is immune to attractive women cast the first ballot

[–] jenesaisquoi@feddit.org 11 points 4 hours ago

magnificent but flamboyant stampede of gay men ensues

[–] Elchi@feddit.org 41 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

The EU needs to finally take this threat seriously and respond with even more attractive Ai women.

[–] Gsus4@mander.xyz 8 points 5 hours ago

this is the way: NCD waifus demonstrate it.

[–] plyth@feddit.org 41 points 10 hours ago (2 children)

But in the meantime, it is imperative that no Eurasian challenger emerges, capable of dominating Eurasia and thus also of challenging America.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Grand_Chessboard

This shows how big the potential of the EU is. The USA cannot allow a strong EU to emerge.

[–] Tuuktuuk@kbin.melroy.org 36 points 9 hours ago (3 children)

They used to have a specific strategy for accomplishing this:
The USA provided military security for Europe so that Europe would not have any need to spend money for military. The USA's goal was to minimize EU countries' military spending so that USA would remain an uncontested military hegemon. That gives it a lot of influence that can be translated into actual cash.

At the same time, EU countries saved several percents of their GDP and could use it for the good of their own populations. It was a win-win situation.

But then the Russia organized this movement called "MAGA", and that movement successfully cancelled the arrangement. (Funnily enough, the abbreviation "maga" comes from "make America great again", which would suggest strategies for increasing USA's influence, not diminishing it. But what do I know.)

[–] Gsus4@mander.xyz 11 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

That is because the MAGA/P2025/neofascist plan is not to maintain hegemony against near-peers (which is expensive on the citizen), it is to return to the mythologized post-war boom by letting the rest of the world go to shit again and then to swoop in to "save" everyone (again) while selling them weapons and industrial stuff (but not to let them reindustrialize again, like during the cold war).

What is preverse is that it was the reindustrialization and social state of Japan, Germany/EU that was the poster child that helped keep these blocks from turning fully socialist and win hearts and minds abroad during the cold war. I guess that was too successful and is making russia/US look bad.

PS: btw, this "strategy" is risky, because there is no way to guarantee that WW3 won't reach US soil this time, you can't just sit it out.

[–] plyth@feddit.org 2 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

At the same time, EU countries saved several percents of their GDP and could use it for the good of their own populations.

They saved it in US government bonds which gave the US the money to finance the weapons.

But then the Russia organized this movement called β€œMAGA”, and that movement successfully cancelled the arrangement.

Which could make one wonder if the US politicians are that stupid. There would be one reasonable reason to end the arrangement: if there is another war to be fought.

China is the bigger threat to US hegemony and the way things are, we will fight with the US against China and Russia. All the drama exists to prevent the population from objecting to a war that inevitably will become nuclear.

[–] WhiskyTangoFoxtrot@piefed.world 2 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

Which could make one wonder if the US politicians are that stupid.

Not stupid; cowardly. Nobody dares to challenge the herd.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Avicenna@programming.dev 36 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 1 hour ago) (5 children)

I think the appropriate response to this is to make AI videos of beatiful russian women telling russians to revolt against Putin

[–] pewgar_seemsimandroid@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 3 hours ago (2 children)

i mean, guess the environment is in the crossfire now.

[–] Avicenna@programming.dev 3 points 1 hour ago

fair enough but maybe they will stop this stupidity if they realize it is very easy for this to backfire

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] kami@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

I don't know if I should be happy or sad that this doesn't seem to be a thing yet.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world 2 points 21 minutes ago (1 children)

Besides of the "This is the weapon of the enemy" frame from The Dark Knight Returns, let me remind you who runs and trains these AI models. They want the EU gone. At best, you'll be shoveling money into it, at worst, your IP will be terminated for "spam".

[–] Siegfried@lemmy.world 2 points 16 minutes ago

They thought pushing UK out of the EU would break it And we grew stronger than ever.

load more comments (2 replies)
[–] Blackmist@feddit.uk 30 points 7 hours ago

And much like the UK version it will be led by a grotty old white man with bad teeth and a pocket full of roubles.

[–] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 30 points 6 hours ago (2 children)

Says a lot about the level of intelligence of rightwing nationalists.

[–] Ruigaard@slrpnk.net 9 points 5 hours ago (3 children)

Do right-wing nationalists even listen to a female opinion?

[–] Jyek@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 hours ago

No they don't. But young men aged 15-25 will watch propaganda if there's an attractive woman in the video.

[–] khaleer@sopuli.xyz 3 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

Only if those women are repeating their talking points.

[–] kami@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 1 hour ago

And only if young and attractive

[–] sgtpugg@lemmy.world 2 points 1 hour ago

Only if they think that lady will touch their dong.

[–] MNByChoice@midwest.social 3 points 6 hours ago

It is low, but no country votes based on intelligence.

[–] jjjalljs@ttrpg.network 25 points 7 hours ago

People need to stop watching slop. But I feel like the kind of idiots easily swayed by slop are also the kinds that won't stop watching it.

[–] Sibbo@sopuli.xyz 22 points 11 hours ago (2 children)

Would these even have been born before Poland joined EU?

[–] cron@feddit.org 25 points 10 hours ago

Maybe, Poland joined the EU in 2004.

But for this case, it doesn't really matter. Mix some vague ideals of freedom and more polish and you're good to go.

[–] driving_crooner@lemmy.eco.br 4 points 10 hours ago

At least they arw the voters that have to live with the consequences of it. Not like the brexit voters that half of them are already dead.

[–] edwardbear@lemmy.world 17 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Bigger question is… is it effective? That’s the worrysome part. It worked (not videos, but literally fake news) for the UK. The hybrid war on Europe has reached new heights. Any Poles that want to chip in?

[–] Businesskasper@feddit.org 8 points 6 hours ago (5 children)

Also what do we do as counter measure? Generate videos to promote EU and then throw that out there? How do we deal with that?

[–] jjjalljs@ttrpg.network 7 points 6 hours ago (2 children)

Spend billions of dollars on public education, with a focus on critical analysis, starting 50 years ago.

Failing that, I don't know, get rid of the ultra wealthy?

I don't know how I feel about ai slop that promotes good ideas. That sounds like a deal with the devil. But if there is going to be slop, I'd rather it be promoting stuff like "workers together are stronger"

[–] lolola@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 4 hours ago

I don’t know how I feel about ai slop that promotes good ideas.

It's bad.

[–] Businesskasper@feddit.org 1 points 5 hours ago

I agree in a better world education should prevent most people from disinformation but with ai in the mix analysing info to detect fakes gets harder and harder. Trying to combat disinformation by explaining things takes too long. By the time we explained one thing 100 new fake news get published. Since I don't have a solution my only thought was copying ai slop but with facts and fire it back into the internet. Make it scream from every side. Eventually social media is just ai slop.

[–] jenesaisquoi@feddit.org 5 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Work on reducing the frustrations of the target demographic of this propaganda. For example, the housing crisis. Or the rich getting richer while stealing the future of the young.

The problem is a lot of these things take many many years to make better.

A lot of actions were taking here years ago and were starting to see rents come down, but it isn't a fast thing.

Then with people having the memory of a goldfish, the people trying to at least partially fix things don't get the outcome fast enough because it's slow, and the right wing fascists come in and say see, it didn't work, and tear it all down. Then due to the delay in everything the previous governments actions start to show some benefit and the fascists say, see we did it, until things turn to shit and the people wanting to fix things take over again.

And the cycle never fucking ends.

[–] Duke_Nukem_1990@feddit.org 4 points 4 hours ago

Kill Billionaires.

[–] edwardbear@lemmy.world 3 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

You don’t fight fire with fire. Disinformation can only be fought with exposure and transparency. Is it β€œthe dream” to be in the EU? No. But it damn well has its benefits. And neither Russia, nor USA have any interest for a strong, independent Europe.

A campaign that fights the bulshit being spread around, with actual facts and sources - that, unfortunately, is boring. So, maybe, real OF models need to volunteer to deliver facts while wearing skimpy clothing? I don’t know. β€œPaid for” messages can and will come across as insincere.

[–] TexasDrunk@lemmy.world 3 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Straight up porn, and when everyone arrives they start yelling about how awesome the EU is.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] carl_dungeon@lemmy.world 12 points 10 hours ago (2 children)

Someone should just flip it on them and make videos of a bunch of hairy knuckle dragging slobs also talking about why it’s great.

[–] Hoimo@ani.social 16 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

Won't get the engagement you need to reach millions of potential voters. Sex to lure them, fear to persuade them. Have a pretty girl for the initial click, then talk about the threat of [evil] and how only [good] can save us. Flash some scary images. Doesn't matter what idea you're trying to sell, this always works.

[–] tomiant@piefed.social 2 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

EU-nationalistic propaganda? Shit, it actually might work. "Conserve our shared European heritage! Protect European values! Europeans unite, stand with the EU against Eastern Aggression!"

Speaks right to these right wing cunts.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] MNByChoice@midwest.social 1 points 5 hours ago

No, slobs for the pro-leaving EU.

Pretty AI girls for staying in EU.

Also, maybe pretty AI girls for equality and fighting Russia.

Actually, flood the zone with pretty AI girls. Make them so unremarkable as to be useless.

[–] tomiant@piefed.social 4 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

Fucking Russia is doing this shit again. We need to take them out, permanently, at any cost.

[–] _Nico198X_@europe.pub 3 points 3 hours ago

absolutely right. this is war.

[–] gunny@lemmy.today 3 points 18 minutes ago

Attractive is subject to perspective, for example I don't find any of them even a tinsy bit attractive.

load more comments
view more: next β€Ί