The New Face of Influence: How Shock Content is Becoming a Gateway for State Propaganda

For years, the “shock-content” creator was a staple of the internet—someone who would drink oil, eat insects, or perform absurd stunts for the sake of a viral clip. But a dangerous evolution is taking place. We are seeing a transition where creators who have already captured the attention of millions of young, impressionable users are being pivoted into conduits for sophisticated geopolitical narratives.

The case of creators like “Maybach” in Lithuania serves as a blueprint. By blending absurdism with gradual political shifts, these influencers can move an audience from laughing at a stunt to questioning the legitimacy of their own government or accepting revised historical narratives about territorial sovereignty.

The “Proxy” Content Ecosystem: Bypassing Sanctions via Influencers

As traditional state-funded media outlets like RT face bans and sanctions across the EU and North America, the strategy has shifted from broadcasting to narrowcasting. Instead of a centralized channel, state actors are investing in a decentralized network of “independent” creators.

This “proxy” strategy is highly effective because it bypasses the psychological filters viewers have when watching state news. When a favorite TikToker suggests that a certain country is “actually the victim” or that “traditional values” are only found in a specific regime, it feels like a personal opinion rather than a government directive.

The Financialization of Influence

Investigations have revealed that this is often a paid operation. From little payments of €100 for a single video to hundreds of thousands of dollars funneled through digital payment platforms like Revolut, the goal is to create an illusion of organic grassroots support. This is no longer just about “bots”; We see about paying humans to be the face of a narrative.

For more on how digital platforms are being regulated to stop this, explore the EU Digital Services Act (DSA).

Algorithmic Warfare and the “Romanian Precedent”

The potential for this influence to move from “opinion” to “outcome” was vividly demonstrated during the 2024 Romanian presidential elections. The sudden surge of a pro-Russian candidate was not an accident of popularity, but a coordinated effort involving bot networks and paid influencers on TikTok.

This highlights a critical future trend: Algorithmic Manipulation. By flooding the “For You” page with coordinated content, poor actors can create a false sense of consensus. When a young voter sees ten different creators saying the same thing, they perceive it as the “truth” of the majority, regardless of the factual basis.

The Battle for Cognitive Security

Governments are now realizing that traditional censorship is insufficient. The focus is shifting toward Cognitive Security—the protection of a population’s ability to think critically and resist psychological manipulation.

Legal Counter-Offensives

Institutions like the Journalist Ethics Inspectorate (ŽEIT) in Lithuania are beginning to treat the spread of disinformation not just as a breach of ethics, but as a risk to national security. The legal framework is evolving to allow authorities to demand the removal of content that questions territorial integrity or spreads war propaganda.

The Challenge of “Historical Revisionism”

One of the most potent tools in the modern propagandist’s kit is the distortion of history. By claiming that territories were “loaned” or “historically belong” to an aggressor—ignoring legal treaties like the 1994 Budapest Memorandum—influencers can justify current aggression to an audience that lacks a deep historical education.

Future Trends: What to Watch For

• AI-Enhanced Hyper-Personalization: Expect propaganda to become even more tailored. AI will allow influencers to create slightly different versions of a narrative to appeal to specific psychological profiles.
• The Rise of “Alternative” Truth Hubs: A further migration from public platforms (TikTok/YouTube) to encrypted or less-moderated spaces like Telegram to build “echo chamber” communities.
• Gamified Disinformation: The integration of political narratives into gaming streams and virtual worlds (Metaverse), where the target audience is most relaxed and receptive.

What do you think? Have you noticed a shift in the content of your favorite creators? Do you believe platforms should be held legally responsible for the disinformation their algorithms promote? Let us know in the comments below or subscribe to our newsletter for more deep dives into the intersection of tech and power.