WW3 Memes Spark Backlash And Controversy Amid Ongoing Russia-Ukraine Conflict Despite Appearing In Droves Online

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine this week has spurred Western governments to issue sanctions and memers around the web to produce World War III memes en masse.

For the second time in two years (the first time in January 2020 following the killing of Iranian military officer Qassem Soleimani) the hashtag "#WW3" is trending on Twitter as users ponder the possibility of a draft, nuclear strikes, war with Russia and many other related topics. But, as with most gallows humor, not everybody online seems amused — and the WW3 memes have generated backlash despite their increasing presence.

Me tweeting memes during WW3 pic.twitter.com/zmhCnqOeIg

— SanphuSA® (@SanphuSA) February 24, 2022

WW3 memes on the timeline pic.twitter.com/MBXsXmdrm2

— St8tes FC 🇺🇸⚽️ (@FcSt8tes) February 24, 2022

ww3 memes would be funny if innocent ppl weren’t actually dying & pls the ppl just saying dark humour is their coping mechanism? girl what exactly are u coping with from the comfort of ur home in the uk rn

— beth 🤍 (@ellewoodsswho) February 24, 2022

On Twitter, the conflict in Ukraine has been discussed on the platform as both a serious matter and the source of jokes for the last few weeks, steadily rising alongside the increasing tensions. Because of the way the platform works, a meme takes up as much space on one's feed as a news story, and a joke hashtag can trend just as easily as a grave warning about a humanitarian crisis.

The first wave of WW3 memes, which trended yesterday, involved jokes about being drafted, the possibility of nuclear war or winter and Chief Keef.

When you’re laughing at WW3 memes & start to wonder why the sun is coming out at 9PM pic.twitter.com/CWUDtVWL17

— U.S. Military™ ❼ (@US_MlLlTARY) February 24, 2022

Fortnite players showing up to WW3 with their custom skins pic.twitter.com/w0TKe4cez0

— U.S. Military™ ❼ (@US_MlLlTARY) February 24, 2022

so most of the WW3 memes ain’t funny this time but this one right here… pic.twitter.com/vHCgZEKEML

— ghost (@skepthai) February 24, 2022

Many of the WW3-related memes center around the juxtaposition between a lighthearted joke and a grim reality. The subject of many WW3 memes is also WW3 memery itself, and the combination of humor and horror that memers report feeling at the prospect of military conflict.

Y’all laughing at WW3 memes vs when y’all get that draft letter pic.twitter.com/GPlDLFggV6

— U.S. Military™ ❼ (@US_MlLlTARY) February 24, 2022

yall better stop making jokes about ww3 bc nothing is funny abt it #WWIII #Ukraine #Russia pic.twitter.com/K7qM6iWuGA

— rinnqqtadd (@Sunny02927046) February 25, 2022

Amidst the Russia – Ukraine conflict, China is also making its move. Taiwan must worry, Philippines too. It's not just about EU right now, it's about the world and the peace that was unhinged. Stop the WW3 memes, speak up. pic.twitter.com/dophefvIN9

— jeskie (@emojejeje) February 25, 2022

The backlash to WW3 memes has once again brought up the age-old question of whether it is appropriate to make memes in the middle of a war and whether those unaffected by that war have a right to make those memes. Many people opposed to such dark-humor memes allege that they're in poor taste or distract from real news. Others compare the backlash against memes about Ukraine to the backlash against memes about Iran in 2020 or even the COVID-19 pandemic, implying that the more muted response to WW3 memes about Iran could be attributed to the fact that Ukrainians are European and Iranians are not.

I swear when it was the WW3 memes about Iran being bombed, everyone had jokes. Now its like "noooooo be sensitive, this is real"

— El Beebo (@cheebybeeb) February 24, 2022

the events going on today are absolutely sickening and i’m really disappointed in how it’s so difficult to find sources to help because it’s all drowned out by the ww3 memes. as if there are not people who lost their lives last night. as if colonization isn’t happening real time.

— ally. (@thatpunkwitch) February 24, 2022

the ww3 memes have to stop now. ukraine people have to sleep in the subway and they’re fking scared for their lifes while y’all are joking around. pic.twitter.com/W0LfOgJMxR

— Ǝ 🧸🧣 (@eda_03_) February 24, 2022

Obviously, memes are not filtered through institutions and editors like other kinds of current-event commentary, and so memers are not constrained by rules around taste, relevance or objectivity in the same way that journalists typically are. But as this latest round of WW3 memery shows, a vigorous conversation about what, when and why we meme is ongoing across the internet.

This is nothing new of course, as it happens time and time again dating back to 9/11 memes and beyond, so whether one agrees with it or not, the trend isn't going anywhere anytime soon.