As more than 500,000 Ukrainians flee their homes in light of the Russian invasion, many are in need of temporary shelter. To address the potential housing crisis, Airbnb and airbnb.org are offering free, short-term housing for 100,000 Ukrainian refugees. 

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Airbnb has partnered with humanitarian organizations CARE, the International Rescue Committee, and HIAS, which offers support and resettlement for refugees around the world. The company’s leaders have also reached out to neighboring countries, including Poland, Germany, and Hungary, to help support their efforts to relocate displaced Ukrainians. They are guiding refugees to the UN Refugee Agency for additional assistance. 

The vacation rental company joins many online who have offered their own homes to Ukrainian refugees, as well as nonprofit organizations helping with resettlement, like the Global Empowerment Mission, and local networks providing emergency help to their community. 

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The free lodging is supported by Airbnb, Inc., donors to the Airbnb.org Refugee Fund, and Airbnb hosts themselves, according to a statement from the home-sharing company. 

Airbnb.org is the nonprofit arm of the Airbnb company and is “dedicated to facilitating temporary stays for people in moments of crisis,” the organization says. The nonprofit has worked in the past to provide free and discounted housing to those in crisis, including large groups of Afghan refugees. In 2021, the organization also created the Refugee Fund, a $25-million fundraising initiative to support resettlement for displaced people. 

Airbnb hosts interested in helping refugees can register online. The company is also working with nonprofits and partners on the ground to coordinate temporary housing for more than 100,000 Ukrainians, according to Airbnb. 

If you can’t provide housing, you can still help: Donate to Airbnb’s nonprofit here. You must have an Airbnb account, and donations can’t be earmarked specifically for Ukrainian refugees at the moment. 

Captions are coming to your IG Feed.

On Tuesday, Instagram announced that it would be adding auto-generated captions for IG Feed videos, in order to make the app “more accessible for those in the deaf/hard-of-hearing communities.” The feature is available in 17 languages, but there are plans to expand them to more languages and countries. Users also have the ability to turn them on or off. 

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Instagram has had a feature that allows users to add captions to their Stories since May 2021, but this new feature will add captions to videos in users’ feeds.

Captions not only make video viewing experience more enjoyable for people who want to watch videos in scenarios where they may not have headphones, but they’re also crucial for the more than 48 million deaf and hard of hearing people in the U.S., and millions more across the globe.

“Videos without captions are completely inaccessible to deaf and hard of hearing people,” Howard A. Rosenblum, the CEO of the National Association of the Deaf, told Mashable last year. “Why would anyone want to exclude that many people from their videos?”

It’s an obvious move for Instagram, which has been frantically chasing TikTok’s features for years. TikTok has had auto-generated captions since last April. 

Instagram tutorials:

• How to delete individual photos from a carousel on Instagram

• How to change your camera tools setting on Instagram

• How to use voice effects on Instagram Reels

• How to disable Instagram embeds (and why you should)

• How to post a photo to multiple Instagram accounts at the same time

• How to clear your Instagram search history

• How to post Live Photos on Instagram

• How to delete individual photos from a carousel on Instagram

• How to turn your social profiles into hubs for charity

• How to create an “Add yours” story on Instagram

• How to hide photos on Instagram without deleting them

• How to see your ‘Least Interacted With’ on Instagram

Big Mouth introduced us to the Hormone Monsters, Depression Kitty, and Shame Wizards that usher teens through the perils of puberty. Now, in the upcoming spinoff Human Resources, we get to see exactly what these creatures get up to in their daily lives.

The trailer for Human Resources is full of the edgy humor and chaos you’d expect from the team behind Big Mouth, plus a few solid lessons about life and love. Even more impressive is the star power behind this project. Nick Kroll, Maya Rudolph, and David Thewlis reprise their Big Mouth roles. They’re joined by Aidy Bryant, Randall Park, Keke Palmer, Bobby Cannavale, Harvey Guillén, Hugh Jackman, Lupita Nyong’o, and many, many more.

Human Resources is streaming on Netflix on March 18.

Save $75.99: It’s never too late to join in the pressure cooking hype now that the Instant Pot Max is on sale for just $74 400 at Amazon. This 51% discount marks the best price ever on this specific model of the popular multi-functional pressure cooker.

The time is now to finally hop on the Instant Pot hype train. Not only do you have a multitude of Instant Pot options, it’s now easier than ever to find incredible discounts on some of the most popular models. And if you want a cheaper gateway into easy pressure cooking, the latest price cut on the Instant Pot Max provides the best value right now.

The 6-quart Instant Pot Max multi-use pressure cooker is at an all-time low price of $74 at Amazon. After a 51% discount you get one of the best deals on a pressure cooker that offers a fast and easy way to cook a wide range of meals.

The Instant Pot Max promises a 9-in-1 appliance that promises a lot of versatility. That includes functionality as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, saute pan, and rice cooker, among other features. It’s able to sustain 15psi, which used to only be achieved by stovetop cookers. That level of pressure means it even works for at-home pressure canning. And with precise temperature controls, you can even use it as a sous vide machine for a truly gourmet meal.

Thankfully, all of these functions are simple to use due to touchscreen controls for seamless adjustments to temperature, pressure levels, and cooking times. It even features a simple steam release button and 13 safety mechanisms. The Instant Pot Max cooker comes with a stainless steel cooking pot and steam rack that are dishwasher safe. And with access to the free recipe app, you won’t run out of ideas and video guides anytime soon.

There’s no need to make home cooking complicated. Just buy an Instant Pot Max for $74 for the easiest upgrade to your culinary skills.

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UPDATE: Mar. 1, 2022, 4:35 p.m. EST We’ve updated this post with the latest deals from across the Apple universe, including new price drops on MacBooks, Macs, and iPads.

• BEST MAC DEAL: 2020 Mac Mini (M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) 400, the most affordable entry point to new Mac ownership at the moment— $569.99 $699 at Amazon (save $129.01 with coupon automatically applied at checkout)

• BEST IPAD DEAL: The 2021 iPad (WiFi, 256GB) 400 continues to prove why the iPad is a classic — $429 $479 at Walmart (save $50)

• BEST IPHONE DEAL: The iPhone 13 Mini (64GB) at Verizon 400 is a mini phone with plenty of storage space and a battery life worth bragging about — $0 with select trade-ins or BOGO with any unlimited plan $699.99 (save up to $699.99)

• BEST APPLE WATCH DEAL: The Apple Watch Series 7 (41mm, GPS) 400 has a bigger, better watch face and multiple color options on sale — $349 $399 (save $50)

• BEST ACCESSORIES DEAL: The AirPods (second-gen) 400 are a good pair of wireless buds at a better value than the latest iteration of Apple’s earbuds — $118.98 $159 (save $40.02)

You could really kill some time trying to dissect the iron grasp Apple has on the general population, but when it comes down to it, its products look good, work well, and stay cutting-edge — of course people like them. Whether your favorite day of the year is its annual September reveal event or you just want a solid computer no matter the brand, Apple’s got you covered. Sure, it is a little notorious for its higher prices, but we’ve rounded up the best deals on iPads, AirPods, and more to help you out. Check them out below.

Mac and MacBook deals

Why we like it

Check out our full review of the 2020 M1 Mac Mini.

Maybe you’re holding out for the rumored new Mac Mini announcement that might come this month, or maybe you’re really just hoping to score some savings, in which case your wait is over. Thanks to a coupon applied at checkout, the Mac Mini is now a whopping 18% off, which beats its previous low of $599, and makes it the most affordable new Mac on this list. With a nice speedy M1 chip and a size that won’t dominate your desk space, this computer is a great pick for those ready to jump into Desktop Computer Ownership without paying premium prices. (And if you’re looking for a bit more built-in storage space, the 512GB model has a nice discount going as well.)

More Mac and MacBook deals

2021 MacBook Pro, 14-inch

• MacBook Pro (M1 Pro, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,249.99 $2,499 at Amazon (save $249.01 with coupon automatically applied at checkout)

2020 MacBook Pro, 13-inch

• MacBook Pro (M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $1,199 $1,299 at Amazon (save $100)

• MacBook Pro (M1, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,299.99 $1,499 at Amazon (save $199.01 with coupon automatically applied at checkout)

2020 MacBook Pro, 16-inch

• MacBook Pro (Intel Core i9, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,379.99 $2,799.99 at Best Buy (save $420)

2020 MacBook Air, 13-inch

• MacBook Air (M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $949 $999 at Amazon (save $50)

More Macs

• 2020 Mac Mini (M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $569.99 $699 at Amazon (save $129.01 with coupon automatically applied at checkout)

• 2020 Mac Mini (M1, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $749.99 $899 at Amazon (save $149.01 with coupon automatically applied at checkout)

• 2021 24″ iMac (M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB, 7-core GPU) in blue — $1,199 $1,299 at Amazon (save $100)

• 2021 24″ iMac (M1, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, 8-core GPU) in blue — $1,249.99 $1,649.99 at Amazon (save $200 with coupon automatically applied at checkout)

Refurbished Macs and MacBooks

• Refurbished 2017 13″ MacBook Air (Intel Core i5, 128GB) — $352 at Walmart

• Pre-owned 2015 13″ MacBook Air (Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) — $499.99 at Best Buy

iPad deals

Why we like it

Its design feels the slightest bit outdated, but make no mistake — the standard iPad is still an incredible everyday tablet (and our personal favorite). It’s reliable, affordable, powerful, and has plenty of storage space. Really, what more could you want out a tablet? We don’t see it go on sale all that often, so now’s your chance to score a good deal on an absolute classic.

More iPad deals

• 2021 iPad (WiFi, 256GB) — $429 $479 at Walmart (save $50)

• 2021 iPad (WiFi, 256GB) in space gray — $429 $479 at Amazon (save $50)

• 2021 iPad Air (WiFi, 64GB) — $539 $599 at Walmart (save $60)

• 2021 iPad Air (WiFi, 64GB) — $539 $599 at Amazon (save $60)

• 2021 iPad Mini (WiFi, 256GB) — $599 $649 (save $50)

• 2020 12.9″ iPad Pro (WiFi, 256GB) — $934.99 $1,099.99 at Best Buy (save $165)

• 2021 12.9″ iPad Pro (WiFi, 128GB) — $999 $1,099 at Amazon (save $100)

iPhone deals

Why we like it

Check out Mashable’s official review of the iPhone 13 Mini.

If you’re picking up some new phones for more than one person, it’ll be difficult to find a better deal than this buy one, get one on the iPhone 13 Mini at Verizon. Though this model looks quite similar to its predecessor, its starting storage of 128GB and improved battery life definitely justify the upgrade.

More iPhone deals

• iPhone 12 Mini (64GB) at AT&T — $1 per month for 36 months on an unlimited plan, then receive up to $594 in bill credits

• iPhone 12 (64GB) at AT&T — $5 per month for 36 months on an unlimited plan, then receive up to $550 in bill credits

• iPhone 13 Mini (128GB) at AT&T — $0 with an eligible trade-in on an unlimited plan $699.99 (save up to $700)

• iPhone 13 (128GB) at AT&T — $0 with an eligible trade-in on an unlimited plan $799.99 (save up to $799.99)

• iPhone 13 Pro (128GB) at AT&T — $0 with an eligible trade-in on an unlimited plan $999.99 (save up to $100)

• iPhone 13 Mini (64GB) at Verizon — $0 with select trade-ins or BOGO with any unlimited plan $699.99 (save up to $699.99)

• iPhone 13 (128GB) at Verizon — $360 with a new line an unlimited plan or BOGO with any unlimited plan $799.99 (save $439.99)

• iPhone 13 Pro (128GB) at Verizon — $0 with select trade-ins on an unlimited plan $999.99 (save up to $999.99)

• BOGO with the iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 13 Pro, or iPhone 13 Pro Max on an eligible 5G unlimited plan at Verizon

Apple Watch deals

Why we like it

The price of Apple’s latest smartwatch keeps going up and down. Though it’s not quite as on sale as we’ve seen it in weeks past, it’s only $10 away from its lowest price ever on a watch with a larger face, increased support for biking workouts, better durability. Plus, every in-stock color is available at this discounted price. You can also score these savings at Walmart.

More Apple Watch deals

Series 7

• Apple Watch Series 7 (41mm, GPS) — $349 $399 at Amazon (save $50)

• Apple Watch Series 7 (41mm, GPS) — $349 $399 at Walmart (save $50)

• Apple Watch Series 7 (45mm, GPS) — $379.99 $429 at Amazon (save $49.01)

• Apple Watch Series 7 (45mm, GPS) — $379 $429 at Walmart (save $50)

• Apple Watch Series 7 (41mm, GPS + cellular) — $449 $499 at Amazon (save $50)

• Apple Watch Series 7 (45mm, GPS + cellular) — $479 $529 at Amazon (save $50)

Series 3

• Apple Watch Series 3 (38mm, GPS) — $169 $199 at Walmart (save $30)

• Apple Watch Series 3 (42mm, GPS) — $199 $229 at Walmart (save $30)

Refurbished

• Refurbished Apple Watch Series 6 (40mm, GPS + Cellular) — $299.95 $482.22 at Amazon (save $182.27)

• Renewed Apple Watch Series 5 (44mm, GPS) — $234 $429 at Amazon (save $195)

Apple accessories deals

Why we like it

Check out Mashable’s official review of the second-generation AirPods.

Sure, you could spend more on the third-gen AirPods that didn’t really give us anything to write home about. Or, you could opt for the second-gens, which come with an H1 chip for easy pairing, a nice long battery life, and the honor of being a Mashable Choice pick back in their day.

More Apple accessories deals

• AirPods (second gen) — $118.98 $129.99 at Amazon (save $40.02)

• AirPods (third gen) — $169.95 $179 at Amazon (save $9.05)

• AirPods Pro — $197 $249 at Amazon (save $52)

• AirPods Pro — $197 $249 at Walmart (save $52)

• AirPods Max— $469.58 $549 at Amazon (save $79.42)

• Powerbeats Pro Totally Wireless Earphones — $179.99 $249.95 at Amazon (save $69.96)

• Beats Studio 3 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones — $198 $349.95 at Amazon (save $151.95)

• Apple TV 4K 32GB — $169.99 $179 at Amazon (save $9.01)

• Apple Pencil (first gen) — $89 $99 at Amazon (save $10)

• Apple Pencil (first gen) — $89 $99 at Walmart (save $10)

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Let’s talk about Elden Ring. Your social feeds and group chats probably won’t shut up about it, but you’re not sure if you want to pay up for something you might hate. Perfectly reasonable.

But FOMO is powerful and it might have you on the fence about the latest From Software joint that’s part of a loosely connected bunch of games people collectively call the “Souls” series. It encompasses Demon’s Souls, the Dark Souls trilogy, Bloodborne, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and now this new open world adventure with some story assistance by George R.R. Martin. 

Souls games are known primarily for brutal difficulty, which is both entirely fair and overly simplistic. They each have nuanced combat, worlds full of vomit-inducing monstrosities that want you dead, and the risk of losing all your money each time you die. All of that is technically true about Elden Ring, too, but it’s also much friendlier up front and could be the one to finally draw you into From’s legendary house of horrors. 

It could also repel you just as much as the others have. Instead of debating about difficulty settings and worrying about what this game should be, let’s be honest about what it is: A game that is indeed more approachable than its predecessors, but not at the expense of its challenging vision.

How Elden Ring is better for newcomers…

The main distinction between Elden Ring and its older siblings is its massive open world, available to explore in its entirety pretty much right after the tutorial is over. Aside from providing a much-needed twist on the formula, it also gave From plenty of room to rethink how welcoming these games can be to new players. Here are a few key ways Elden Ring could win skeptics or even haters over.

More ways to win

Souls games have always been unique in that even the most basic tutorial enemy (usually some doofus skeleton) can ruin your day if you let it. The scales are usually tipped so far in the player’s favor in other mainstream action games that it can be a little jarring for the weakest enemies to still present a challenge. That’s also true in Elden Ring, but now, you’ve got way more options. This is going to sound crazy, but seriously: You actually have an upper hand in many situations.

Lots of enemy groups just sort of hang around with their backs conspicuously vulnerable to attack. Not what I would do, but hey, they don’t listen to me. It’s great because in Elden Ring, you can actually use stealth. Press the left stick to crouch and walk around silently, go up behind an unsuspecting enemy, and stick your blade through them for a crunchy, satisfying critical hit. You can even get an accessory that turns these critical hits into health. It’s great.

If you do have to fight the honest way, Elden Ring has a new way to counter enemy attacks and open them up for huge damage that’s super easy to pull off. Simply put on a shield (newcomers should definitely use shields) and tap the heavy attack button right after blocking a strike. You’ll quickly strike back with a beefy counterattack that can, in some circumstances, stagger enemies. If that happens, you can pull off a frontal version of the backstab, effectively one-shotting some enemies. 

This is by far the most straightforward counter system in any of these games, and after 40 hours, it’s still effective for me even in high-level areas. Finishers also look cool as hell and have some nasty sound effects to go along with them. I love it.

Like in other Souls games, you can summon other players for co-op if you’re having a tough time with a boss. Past that, though, is a new system that lets players collect and summon spectral familiars over the course of the game. If you see a white icon that looks like a gravestone or a gate on the left side of the screen, that means you can use your summons. It just so happens that almost every boss room allows this. You can do one summon per boss attempt, and even if the summon dies or doesn’t do much damage, they might steal your target’s attention for a few seconds, long enough to get in a bunch of hits. 

Fewer ways to lose

Giving the player more roads to victory is nice, but removing some of the pitfalls that used to plague these games is equally effective. 

In Dark Souls, weapons and equipment would break after too much use. You could repair them, but not if you were far from a checkpoint and didn’t have the right item. I’m happy to report that gear durability of any kind is gone from Elden Ring. Swing that sword against walls all you want, it won’t break. Beautiful, isn’t it?

All the other Souls games (minus Sekiro) made almost all of your actions cost stamina. If you recklessly swung your weapon too many times, you wouldn’t be able to do that (or sprint or dodge) anymore until the meter filled back up. That’s…still the case in Elden Ring, but the good news is they turned it off when you’re out exploring in the open world. Stamina only comes into play when fighting dudes. Gotta love it.

Oh, and fall damage has been turned down a ton, too. There are still pretty hard limits to how far you can fall, but you can at least jump down from the first floor of a building without dying in this game. 

The death of inconvenience

These are Sites of Grace. Pursue them at every opportunity.
Credit: From Software/Steam

All those changes in the moment-to-moment action account for a lot of Elden Ring’s newfound approachability, but the biggest factor by far is that From has stopped punishing players with inconvenience. Dying during major fights against the strongest and scariest enemies in a previous Souls game usually meant engaging in what players call “boss runs,” where you had to fight or dodge your way through at least a few enemies before getting back to the boss arena and trying again. 

Boss runs sucked. Some of them were torturous, and obviously you always ran the risk of losing health or wasting a healing item before even starting the boss fight. Those have been almost totally eliminated from Elden Ring. Optional bosses hidden in secret catacombs around the world occasionally have a brisk and easy boss run through some weak enemies, but every main story boss I’ve seen has had a checkpoint right outside the door. It’s so simple and saves so many headaches.

Speaking of checkpoints, there’s a comically large number of them in the world. The main ones are these glowing spots called Sites of Grace, which replenish all your meters and your healing items, but also respawn non-boss enemies you’ve killed. You’ll find one Site of Grace, fight through like one somewhat difficult room in a dungeon, and there will be another one on the other side so you never have to do the annoying room again. You can freely fast travel between every Site of Grace from the start, too. Beyond that, little statues appear outside of most boss arenas to serve as respawn points if there isn’t a Site of Grace nearby. 

Now it’s time to reveal the biggest innovation of all: A map. Sure, every other video game gives you a map, but Souls games have always asked the player to remember how to get around labyrinthine, complex worlds without much assistance. That’s still the case with indoor areas, but the map at least helps you plot a course around the open world. If something is too hard, open the map and find empty space you haven’t explored yet. There’s always something out there that’ll be easier and net you sweet rewards.

Why Elden Ring might still not be the one for you

All of those quality-of-life changes make Elden Ring a substantially easier game to ease into than before. “Ease into” being the key words here. Merging onto a highway might be easy, but when it’s done, you’re still on a highway where lots of bad or unexpected things can happen. There are still plenty of reasons why Elden Ring might just not be your thing.

It’s still really hard

Wormface is a huge jerk.
Credit: From Software/Steam

From Software made Elden Ring more friendly, but not easier. This is still a very challenging game. Longtime Souls fans love to say these games “aren’t that hard,” but they are the last people you should listen to on this topic. A racecar driver probably doesn’t think it’s that hard to drive at incredible speeds either.

These games are tough. Enemies can kill you in one or two hits if you aren’t careful. The other day I found a guy called “Wormface” who spat corrosive gas at me, filling up a status effect meter as I stood in it. When the meter filled up (which took about 10 seconds unless I left the gas), I instantly died. There are ways to mitigate things like that, be it with different gear or consumable items, but the fact is you’ll usually have to die a few times to get to the point of knowing that.

You are going to die many, many times throughout the course of playing Elden Ring. A lot of those deaths will feel sudden and difficult to explain at first. That’s flatly not fun to a lot of people and I can’t blame them for that. It’s a different rhythm than what you might get out of other open world games, like Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, where you’re playing as a historical superhero in a world full of dumb, weak guards.

Elden Ring is about being ready for anything while accepting that there are things you simply can’t be ready for around every corner. 

And there’s nothing you can do about it

In case you were wondering, no, there isn’t an “easy mode” in Elden Ring. Lots of games offer difficulty settings but this isn’t of them. Every player will experience the same game, in terms of how much health enemies have and how much damage they do. 

That said, there are often ways to make difficult things easy without changing a setting in the options menu. These games are all about creating as many small advantages for yourself as possible and nothing is off the table. If you notice an enemy getting stuck in a door or refusing to leave a room, use that as an opportunity to fight on your own terms. If a boss is annoying, use those summoning abilities to widen your margin of error.

And most importantly, remember that running away from or past challenging encounters is an option more often than not. If a named boss dragon swoops down into your path, jonesing for a tussle (this happens on occasion), just get on your horse and run by it. Every enemy gives up eventually. You’re not meant to fight everything the moment you first encounter it; escape is the only way to go sometimes, and the developers designed the game with that in mind.

Learning isn’t fun for everyone

Don’t fight dragons if you don’t have to.
Credit: From Software/Steam

Ultimately, Elden Ring (like its ilk) is about learning. You can’t half-ass your way through anything here because even a boss that’s half your level can shave 90 percent of your health bar away with a couple of well-timed hits. You need to know how much range your weapon has, how many hits you can get in when a boss is vulnerable for two seconds after an attack, and even if a corridor is too narrow to accommodate your swinging sword. Deaths are not setbacks, but merely opportunities to learn. Even if you don’t kill a boss, you may have noticed something about its attack pattern that you can apply next time.

In other words, failure is an intrinsic part of the Souls experience.

But I can totally understand if failure isn’t exactly fun in your mind. Sometimes I just want to run around and mash buttons and feel like a demigod for a while, too. You won’t find that here. What you will find, if you’re willing to put the time in, is one of the most outstanding video game worlds in years, full of truly surprising discoveries, beautifully grotesque monster designs, and an unparalleled feeling of satisfaction when you finally kill a boss that’s given you trouble for days. 

I hope Elden Ring can at least make you appreciate the brilliance of the Souls formula, even if it deviates from that in some key ways. If it doesn’t, though, don’t worry about it. Nobody’s obligated to like anything, no matter how much your group chat is obsessed with it. Give them a few weeks and they’ll move onto the next thing.

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According to recent estimates from the United Nations, at least 500,000 Ukrainian refugees have traveled out of the country, fleeing the conflict that began last week with Russia’s invasion. They’re making the painful decision to separate from loved ones, leaving their belongings and lives to seek safety elsewhere. 

Many are calling for immediate, government responses and action from tech giants, while others are organizing community aid and supporting humanitarian organizations on the ground to aid the swaths of displaced Ukrainians.

At the same time, global responses to the new wave of refugees have also highlighted glaring discrepancies in how communities and government leaders respond to a refugee crisis that is perceived to be white and European, versus those that forced out people from Middle Eastern and African countries over the last few years. What’s more, as some have reported, refugees of color are experiencing different treatment at borders as they flee their homes. 

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Now is the time to offer universal support to Ukrainian refugees, as half a million people are displaced across the region for an unknown amount of time. They’ll need assistance from governments, nonprofit organizations, and communities around the world. 

Here’s a few ways you can help them.

Donate to humanitarian organizations

The following are just a few organizations working to provide critical aid to Ukrainian refugees. You can find even more nonprofits and international organizations — all of which have a three- or four-star ratings — supporting those affected by the conflict on the Charity Navigator website.

Save The Children 

Save The Children is a global nonprofit dedicated to supporting child health and education around the world. Its organizing additional support for Ukrainian refugees, building on eight years of work supporting the 2.9 million people, including over 400,000 children, who already required humanitarian assistance in the country, the organization says. Donate here to Save The Children’s relief fund for Ukrainian refugees, which includes food, water, hygiene kits, psychosocial support, and cash assistance.

International Rescue Committee 

An international humanitarian organization, the International Rescue Committee, is pledging assistance to those in Ukraine and neighboring countries like Poland that are sheltering Ukrainian refugees. “Whatever the needs are, we are preparing to meet them,” said IRC’s senior director of emergencies Lani Fortier on its website. Donations go to the organization’s global mission to provide food, hygiene and medical supplies, and other emergency resources for refugees, and there isn’t a way to earmark funds specifically for Ukraine on its website.

UNICEF

UNICEF is on the ground supporting families fleeing Ukraine. Your donations go directly to UNICEF’s work providing “health, nutrition, HIV prevention, education, safe drinking water, sanitation and protection for children and families,” according to the organization. You can earmark your donation specifically to its efforts in Ukraine on the donation page.

Global Empowerment Mission 

The nonprofit, which organizes emergency aid to global disasters, is currently operating a temporary travel and aid center in Medyka, Poland on the Ukrainian border. The organization is not only providing short term “vital necessities, but is also offering travel assistance to refugees wanting to relocate to other countries or be with friends and family — a mission to reduce the strain on Polish hotels and prevent potential homelessness. You can earmark donations to the Ukraine refugee crisis on its website.

World Central Kitchen 

A nonprofit started by chef Jose Andrés, World Central Kitchen is delivering warm meals to refugees and displaced people at various Ukraine border crossings. The initiative, originally delivering meals at a 24-hour border crossing, is preparing to support refugee accommodation centers in Poland and Romania. Donate here to fund food and supplies to support World Central Kitchen’s mission.

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Global Giving 

Global Giving is an international nonprofit that connects charitable campaigns to donors around the world. The organization started the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund to support both short- and long- term humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees. According to the organization, donations will go towards shelter, food, and clean water for refugees, as well as health and psychosocial support, education, and economic assistance.

Vostok SOS

Vostok SOS is a Ukrainian-based humanitarian aid organization partnering with a German-Swiss nonprofit called Libereco to help evacuate Ukrainian refugees out of the country. As a volunteer-run nonprofit, money donated to Vostok SOS helps deliver “medical and humanitarian aid to local people, evacuate vulnerable people, and provide tailored trauma support in the aftermath of shelling,” the organizations says.

Malteser International

Malteser International, an emergency relief organization based in the country of Malta, is collecting everyday supplies for Ukrainians who have had to leave their homes without warning. Oliver Hochedez, head of Malteser International’s emergency relief department, wrote in a public statement that, “the supply situation in Ukraine itself is becoming increasingly difficult. What is especially needed are everyday medicines, as well as cots, blankets, food, and cash to provide for the many people affected.” You can specify donations go to purchasing these supplies for Ukrainian refugees on its donation page.

United Help Ukraine

This nonprofit was founded in 2014 to support those in Ukraine affected by war and the Russian annexation of Crimea. Right now, the organization is hosting an online fundraiser to purchase first aid kits and other emergency supplies for those still within Ukraine, as well as other critical aid for refugees.

Stop disinformation and share resources

For information on where to go for reliable updates and fact-checking, consult Mashable’s guide to combatting misinformation about the conflict.

The United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) has published guides for Ukrainians who have remained in the country and are currently in transit to safer areas. This resource guide shares important safety information for people traveling through conflict zones, including how to emotionally support children in conflict zones and information on asylum procedures and other refugee services in neighboring countries. You can also visit the UNHCR’s Ukraine homepage for updates on refugee support and other ways the UN is assisting Ukrainians.

Al Jazeera has a list of every country currently accepting Ukrainian refugees, as well as the countries’ requirements for entry.

Others online are sharing community-led resources for those in neighboring countries. There is also a guide by Ukrainian activists on the ground with additional information on the conflict, donation links, and other resources.

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Mashable will continue updating this story with more resources if they become available.

Every year, exciting new video games are released by hard-working developers, promising players hours of entertainment to suit a myriad of preferences. And every year, I continue to play the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), Dota 2. It’s my one game to rule them all.

Dota 2 first launched in 2013, 10 years after the fan-made Warcraft III mode from which it was derived. Yet despite being almost two decades old, the competitive 10-player game continues to maintain a dedicated fanbase — and it isn’t hard to see why. Dota 2 is a deeply complex game with over 120 playable characters and over 200 in-game items, meaning every match presents unique challenges to overcome. Like a fast-paced chess game with hundreds of moving parts, it’s rewarding when you finally wrangle it, and it feels amazing when you pull off a perfect play.

Bearing all this in mind, approaching Dota 2 can be intimidating to new players, and difficult for old ones to teach. It’s impossible to detail all the strategy that goes into a Dota 2 match in one simple, easily digestible article. 

However, I can give you a foundation to start from so you aren’t completely lost when jumping into your first match.

The goal

Played by two teams of five players, the aim of Dota 2 is to destroy the main structure in the opposing team’s base. Known as the Ancient, it is from this goal that the name of Dota 2‘s predecessor was derived: Defence of the Ancients. Killing enemies, destroying towers, and accumulating gold is all fun, but means nothing if your team can’t destroy your enemy’s Ancient.

It’s a fairly simple objective (and one that should sound familiar to fans of other MOBAs, like League of Legends). However, before you can reach the Ancient, you have to make your way through a few obstacles first.

The map

This will all make sense soon.
Credit: Bob Al-Greene / Mashable

Dota 2‘s forested arena places one team’s base in the top left corner of the square map and the other in the bottom right, putting them as far apart as possible. These two bases are then connected by three lanes — one following the upper edge of the map, one following the lower edge, and a third diagonal path going straight through the middle.

Situated at regular intervals along each lane are six towers, which are evenly split between the two teams. These towers automatically attack any enemy units that come too close, and they are quite powerful. It’s generally a good idea to give them a wide berth early in the game.

You will have to deal with these towers eventually, though. Before you can breach your opponents’ base and attack their Ancient, you have to destroy all three of the enemy towers along at least one of these lanes. Until they fall, the buildings in the enemy base remain invulnerable.

The base

Aside from their Ancient, there are a few other important structures in each team’s base.

The Fountain is closest to the corner of the map, and is where you start each match. It’s also where you reappear when you respawn after a death. Standing in the Fountain rapidly replenishes your health and mana, and it’s also where you can pick up your purchased items.

There are also six Barracks in each base, with a Melee Barracks and Ranged Barracks located at the start of each of the three lanes. These structures are each team’s source of AI-controlled defenders, called “creeps.” Destroying an enemy’s Barracks isn’t mandatory, but teams usually do so anyway since each one that’s functional strengthens the allied creeps in the corresponding lane.

The creeps

Your four teammates aren’t your only allies in a game of Dota 2, as you’re also supplied with a steady supply of cannon fodder in the form of creeps. At regular timed intervals, a small group of non-playable minions will spawn at the start of each path for each team. These creeps are relatively weak units that will mindlessly march down their assigned road and attack any enemy they encounter, whether they be enemy creeps, buildings, or players from the opposing team.

It’s these creeps that will occupy much of your attention in the early parts of the game. Staying with your allied creeps will allow them to absorb the brunt of any enemy aggression you encounter, and they’ll also provide you cover by attacking anyone who might try to hurt you. 

Killing enemy creeps is also one of the most surefire ways to accumulate gold and experience. Gold is used to purchase items, which can strengthen your character and even grant them new abilities. Meanwhile, gaining experience levels up your character, granting you skill points to put into learning and strengthening your abilities. Gold and experience are earned in the context of individual matches; every player’s hero starts out fresh and on the same power footing when a new match begins.

The heroes

Axe is a tanky strength hero that’s a good choice for beginners.
Credit: Dota 2 / Mashable

Each player in Dota 2 controls a character called a hero, which each have their own unique stats and skills. Players choose which character they want to play as before a match starts. Only one of each hero is allowed per game, though — once a character is picked it becomes unavailable to everyone else across both teams. 

Players must therefore weigh their decision: Is it better to choose a hero early enough to secure the one you want, or is it preferable to choose later, when you can account for strategic considerations such as countering the opposing team’s selections and making sure your own picks aren’t kept in check by their corresponding counters.

Most heroes have four abilities: three regular ones, and a powerful ultimate ability that can only be unlocked once they reach level 6. These abilities can be active, requiring you to press a button to use them (which usually costs mana, a metered resource that’s like a health bar for your magic); or passive, working quietly in the background all the time. A large part of Dota 2 is learning how different abilities work and synergize with each other — not just as it relates to your hero, but with (and against) other heroes as well. 

Strength, Intelligence, or Agility?

Heroes are built around one of three Primary Traits: Strength, Intelligence, and Agility. Which type of hero you choose will depend on your preferred play style, but it’s generally preferable to have a mix on your team so you can cover each other’s weaknesses.

Strength heroes are able to take a lot of punishment, but are usually fairly slow. Intelligence heroes can dish out a lot of damage, but are also rather fragile. And Agility heroes are mobile and quick, but are vulnerable if they get stunned or disabled.

Carry or Support?

You also have to assess what role you’d like to play on your team. Broadly speaking, players on a Dota 2 team either step into a Carry role or a Support role. Both are needed for an effective, balanced team.

Carry heroes are relatively weak at the beginning of the game, when their focus should be on killing creeps in order to earn gold and experience. However, they later become their team’s strongest players, carrying the responsibility of killing the opposing team’s bigger targets and ultimately winning the game.

Support heroes help the Carry heroes get to that later stage, keeping enemy heroes off them, setting up kills, and basically acting like a bodyguard. While they’re relatively intimidating early in the game, their strength drops off later as the Carry heroes gain power.

The gameplay

There’s beauty in the chaos.
Credit: Dota 2 / Mashable

An average game of Dota 2 takes around 45 minutes, however length varies significantly depending on the matchup. Occasionally a game will end in under 10 minutes, while the longest professional Dota 2 match on record lasted three hours and 20 minutes. As such, it isn’t a good idea to start a game unless you have at least an hour to spare.

Laning

At the start of the game, the five heroes on each team will typically disperse across the map’s three lanes. Usually this means there are two heroes per team in each of the side lanes, as well as one in the middle. 

This early part of the match is called the “laning phase,” and it’s during this time that Support players guard Carry players so they can “farm” — that is, kill creeps to accumulate gold and experience. A successful laning phase goes a long way toward setting your team up for success later.

Ganking

A player may also leave their lane to sneak up on an enemy in another lane, working with their teammates to secure a kill. This is called “ganking.” Usually the player in the middle will be the one ganking during the laning phase, as they level up more quickly than their teammates due to not having to share the creeps they’re using for gold and XP — a process often referred to as “farming” — with other teammates

As such, it’s important to let your teammates know if an enemy you were laning against suddenly goes missing, as they could be planning a gank. Communication is everything in a game like this.

Jungling

Sometimes a player may leave their lane and go into the forest to farm the creatures there. These units are called “neutral creeps,” and hunting for them is called “jungling.” Jungling allows a hero to get all the gold and experience from the kills, rather than splitting it with a lane partner. This can enable them to level up more quickly, giving them an edge over their opponents.

However, there are also no friendly creeps to buffer you from the neutral creeps’ damage, so you have to keep an eye on your health bar and be careful not to pick a fight you can’t finish. You’re also vulnerable to an enemy hero sneaking up on you and picking you off while you’re low on health.

Mid- and late-game

When players feel confident enough to abandon their lanes and start ganking in earnest, this signals the end of the laning phase. This will often occur after the first tower in a lane has fallen, freeing the heroes in that lane to go and help their comrades in other parts of the map.

At this point, each individual game changes significantly depending on what is happening and the different factors involved. In some games, all the players in a team may group up and storm down a lane together — a “five man push.” In others, heroes might split up to mount an assault on multiple lanes at once, called a “split push.” Alternatively, some heroes may distract and defend against their enemy team while their Carry jungles, attempting to catch up if they’re behind in farming.

Multiple such tactics often occur across a game, with players shifting focus depending upon the situation. There is no strict playbook to follow. Dota 2 is simply a matter of destroying the enemy Ancient before they destroy yours, and figuring out what methods will help you achieve that is the whole thing.

The items

Do not try to imitate pro player Topson’s Techies build until you are extremely experienced.
Credit: Dota 2 / Topson

There’s no point in accumulating gold if you don’t spend it. Dota 2 has hundreds of items you can buy with your hard-earned cash, all of which provide different benefits. Some items are also more effective on certain heroes, so it’s important to figure out what purchases will do the most for you.

Fortunately, Dota 2 does suggest items for you to buy in-game, so you can largely just follow the guide supplied in the left panel of the shop window while you learn the ins and outs.

The shop window can be accessed at any time by clicking on your gold count in the bottom right corner of the screen — just make sure you only go shopping when it’s safe to do so, since there’s no way to pause. From here you can purchase items, though they won’t be equipped to your hero until you actually pick them up from your base’s fountain.

Of course, leaving your lane to pick up your goods means less time for farming, which is where couriers come in. When directed, your courier will carry your items to you so you can just keep farming. However, be careful when calling your courier. Enemies can kill a courier en route, which will put them out of commission for a few minutes and leave you having to wait longer for your goods or go get them yourself.

The Secret Shop

While most items can be bought from the general shop, some more expensive and powerful items can only be found at the Secret Shop. Despite its name, neither its location nor its existence is a secret, with two Secret Shops located in Dota 2‘s forest — one on either side of the river. 

It can be dangerous trying to visit the Secret Shop, so only do so when you’re absolutely sure there are no hidden enemies who might jump you while you’re browsing.

Neutral items

If you can’t afford a shiny new item just yet, you can also find neutral items dropped by neutral creeps when they’re killed. These items go in a special item slot, and can be shared between teammates. So if you pick one up that doesn’t quite work for you, simply teleport it back to your base for another player to use. Here’s a full rundown of the many neutral items you can find.

Roshan

Put simply, Roshan is the king of all neutral creeps. Located in the river, this hard-hitting creature usually requires multiple heroes to kill, and entering his pit leaves players vulnerable to surprise ambushes from the enemy team. As such, attempts to take Roshan on typically occur when a team is either feeling very confident or very desperate. 

Successfully defeating Roshan yields significant rewards, granting players a big pile of gold and an experience boost. Roshan also drops the Aegis of the Immortal, an item that revives the player who carries it one time, within a few seconds of them dying. It’s a powerful advantage that can be enough to turn the tide of an entire battle.

Quick tips for getting started

• Pick one hero and stick with them while you’re learning. Dota 2‘s huge catalogue of playable characters can feel intimidating, so it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with just one when you’re first starting out. You may have to try out a few heroes to find one you like, but once you do keep playing them until you feel fairly comfortable with the game.

  • Do not, I repeat, do not choose Invoker, Meepo, or Techies. These complex heroes are not for beginners, and you are guaranteed to have a bad time.

• Play a few bot matches. Starting off against human players can be a bit much when you’re learning. Go a few rounds against the computer and build your confidence first. This is also a great way to just learn how to navigate the interface, with no other human players depending on you.

• Bide your time. It’s very tempting to immediately rush into battle, particularly for eager new players, but that’s a good way to get yourself killed. It’s no fun being dead all the time. Hang around your neutral creeps in the laning phase and work on accumulating gold and experience.

• Don’t be afraid to buy consumable items that get used up when activated. It may seem like a better investment to save up for permanent items — and you certainly don’t want to be spending all your gold on Healing Salves or mana-restoring Clarities. But a well-timed consumable can keep you in your lane longer, helping you make up the gold you spent and then some. It’s good practice to buy a Tango at the start of each game at the very least, as this consumable allows you to eat a tree to slowly regain some health. (Trees are all around, and much easier to reach than your fountain back at the base.)

• Always carry a Town Portal Scroll. Actually, carry two to be safe. These single-use items allow you to teleport to any allied building on the map, which is invaluable for getting into fights or out of danger as quickly as possible.

This isn’t all there is to Dota 2. Wards, runes, and buybacks are also important features you’ll eventually encounter. However, this guide should be enough to get you started — and hopefully feeling a little less confused.

Dota 2 is a tough game that feels incredibly rewarding once you get the hang of it. But no matter how skilled you are, you will inevitably get cursed out by furious gamers who are mad that you aren’t playing how they want you to. As such, I offer a final tip: If you head into settings, you can mute all the other players. Communication is important, but you can opt out easily if things get out of hand.

In response to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, GoFundMe has launched a centralized hub for verified fundraisers looking to raise money for humanitarian aid in Ukraine.

The hub currently hosts fundraisers that range from supporting large aid organizations like Save the Children to raising funds for specific families in Ukraine. All fundraisers hosted on the official hub have been verified by GoFundMe’s global Trust & Safety team, which monitors the larger GoFundMe site in order to identify and validate fundraisers made in response to crises.

The landing page of GoFundMe’s donation hub for Ukraine.
Credit: Screenshot: GoFundMe

According to a blog post from GoFundMe, the Trust & Safety team is a large and diverse team that makes up a quarter of the organization, and it works to verify personal information and the identity of recipients in order to make sure that donations are sent to the right place. To do this, GoFundMe says it uses proprietary tools on par with those used by the financial industry that requires “government-issued identification, address details, and other forms of ID.”

To be considered verified and therefore hosted on the donation hub, GoFundMe and the Trust & Safety team must know “the identity of the organizer, who they are raising funds for, the organizer’s relationship to the recipient of the funds, and how the funds will be used.” The company holds on to “all funds raised until the recipient is added to the fundraiser to withdraw [their money], and their identity has been confirmed.”

If a fundraiser hosted on GoFundMe is not on the hub or officially verified, that doesn’t necessarily mean the campaign isn’t valid; it’s also possible that GoFundMe’s payment processors have just not yet collected the necessary information, and delays like this may happen more often during a crisis like the one in Ukraine.

• Ukrainians turned to encrypted messaging app Signal as Russians invaded

• Meta sets up special team to deal with rampant misinformation around Ukraine

• Ukraine’s official Twitter account: Kick Russia off the platform

• Twitter’s telling Ukrainians how to lock down their accounts

In a larger blog post about how to help Ukraine generally, GoFundMe also states that fundraisers not allowed on its platform include “any war effort support, regardless of the country, which can include funding weapons, any supplies to soldiers, and propaganda” and “travel to the location to support military or propaganda efforts.”

GoFundMe has created donations hubs like this in the past, in response for crises like the West Coast wildfires, the Covid-19 surge in India, the Atlanta spa shootings, and the Surfside Condo collapse. The site also hosts its own fundraiser, dubbed the “Ukraine Humanitarian Fund,” and it will distribute the total amount raised amongst various verified nonprofits working to provide relief in Ukraine.

As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine unfolds, much of the world continues to watch via social media. In response, Russia has waged its own forces against major social media platforms and services in an attempt to control the narrative coming out of Ukraine.

In what we imagine is much to Russia’s chagrin, Ukrainian and Russian civilians seem to have found their ways around such measures, and the major platforms have taken firm stances against Russian state-sponsored messages. Below, here are all the ways the internet is standing up to Russia’s attacks.

Many big platforms have restricted Russia’s access in some way

Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have proven invaluable in helping spread awareness of what is actually happening in Ukraine. As such, Russia has tried to control them, with little success.

On Feb. 25, Russia’s communications regulator accused Facebook of censoring the accounts of four state-sponsored media sites. In response, the country moved to limit access to Facebook for its civilians.

Meta’s vice president of global affairs Nick Clegg said in a statement that Russia had asked the company to stop fact-checking and labeling posts from those four accounts, and when Meta refused, Russia chose to restrict access. Meta seems to remain staunch in its efforts to curb misinformation on its sites, and has also chosen to block Russian state media from running any ads on Facebook or to monetize in any way, according to NPR.

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Google has also paused Russia’s ability to profit off of content across its services. YouTube is blocking state-sponsored ads from Russian channels on its platform, and is limiting video recommendations to Russian channels while blocking them entirely in Ukraine, at the request of the Ukrainian government.

On Sunday, Alphabet, Inc. (which owns Google and YouTube) also banned downloads of the RT app in Ukrainian territory at the request of the Ukrainian government, according to Reuters. New users in Ukraine will not be able to download the Russian-owned media outlet’s app, while existing users may still be able to access it but won’t receive any new updates.

• Ukrainians turned to encrypted messaging app Signal as Russians invaded

• Meta sets up special team to deal with rampant misinformation around Ukraine

• Ukraine’s official Twitter account: Kick Russia off the platform

• Twitter’s telling Ukrainians how to lock down their accounts

On Twitter, state-controlled ads have been banned since 2019, though state-sponsored media organizations like RT have accounts there. But in response to the conflict, the platform is temporarily pausing all ads in Ukraine and Russia regardless of the source, stating that it wants to “ensure critical public safety information is elevated and ads don’t detract from it.”

Twitter is also being restricted in Russia according to usage metrics from internet watchdog group NetBlocks. When Mashable asked Twitter about the block, a spokesperson pointed us to a tweet stating the company’s belief in “free and open access to the internet,” but otherwise had no comment.

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All three major platforms continue to monitor the situation in Eastern Europe and seemingly plan on taking action against any rule-violating activities. Twitter has also taken additional actions to increase security and protect the accounts of high profile journalists, activists, and government officials. According to NPR, Meta has created a special operations center to keep tabs on Russia’s activity on its platforms, and YouTube has already “taken down hundreds of channels and thousands of videos in recent days for violating its policies, including rules against ‘coordinated deceptive practices.'”

Online fundraising for Ukraine is active, and thriving via crypto

On Feb. 26, Ukraine’s official Twitter account said it would be accepting donations in the form of cryptocurrency. To date, more than $9.9 million has been raised in crypto for Ukraine, according to The Verge.

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The country is officially accepting donations via Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tether, while decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) have formed and can accept other forms of crypto donations as well. According to The Verge, Tether is supposed to pegged to the US dollar, but has been in such high demand that it is now trading above the dollar at $1.10.

People in Ukraine have also reported that their Ukrainian credit cards have stopped working, and that crypto has become the most feasible fallback.

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Major crypto community players have expressed their support for Ukraine, including Russian-born creator of Ethereum Vitalik Buterin tweeting that the “invasion was a crime against Ukrainian and Russian people.” Nadya Tolokonnikova, a member of the Russian performance art group Pussy Riot, also created UkraineDAO to raise funds, and a collaboration of NFT and web3 artists created RELI3F to act as another hub for crypto donations to Ukraine.

In contrast, Russia has pushed for a total ban on cryptocurrency and continues a “head-in-the-clouds” approach to talking about the conflict on its own official Twitter account. Given that, it’s unlikely Russia will be soliciting a similar amount of donations via crypto any time soon.

Ukrainian and Russian civilians have found ways to communicate

Telegram is the most popular messenger in Ukraine, and while many believe it to be protected, rival app Signal’s founder Moxie Marlinspike tweeted a thread explaining Telegram’s cloud-based nature, detailing the possible threat from Russia.

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While this doesn’t guarantee a mass Ukrainian exodus from the potentially jeopardized app, the thread brings awareness to alternatives, as well as a feature within Telegram called “secret messages,” that would provide more privacy and security for those who remain on the service.

Internet infrastructure company Cloudflare also saw a massive spike in Signal usage just after midnight on Feb. 24, approximately the same time that the Russian invasion began. Signal’s messaging services promise end to end encryption, and is generally agreed upon by cybersecurity experts to be the most secure private messaging app.

To prepare for potential internet outages, many are also working to get around online censorship in Ukraine or Russia.

Yev Muchnik, a Ukraine-born lawyer who’s lived in the U.S. since 1988, told The Verge that he has been working with developers from PieFi and Ukraine United DAO to combat any attacks on internet access. Their goal is to “create peer-to-peer mesh networks to preserve internet connectivity, even if centralized internet service providers go down.” Privacy-preserving internet browsing service Tor also tweeted out an extensive thread detailing how private citizens can protect themselves against surveillance and censorship.

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On-the-ground info continues to spread online, albeit with misinfo concerns

As people across the internet continue to seek out information, other social platforms like TikTok have offered a view of what is actually happening on the ground in Ukraine. Even before the official invasion in the early hours of Feb. 24, TikTok videos had been showing Russian military weapons and vehicles en route to Ukrainian borders, alerting military analysts and civilians alike to the upcoming threat.

As the invasion began in earnest, more social posts have cropped up purporting to highlight the true day-to-day life in Ukraine and Russia right now.

Independent Russian journalist Ilya Varlamov has used Instagram to document photos and videos of his account of Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Russian TikTokker Niki Proshin posted a video showing an anti-war protest in Russia. According to The Guardian, Ukrainian influencer Anna Prytula’s Instagram (which has now been made private) showed footage of missiles attacking in Ukraine.

But even as Ukrainian and Russian residents are publishing real-time, truthful videos, fake war pages and accounts on platforms like Instagram and TikTok have also taken the opportunity to reel in views and followers.

Instagram has taken action by removing scam war pages for violating its community guidelines regarding inauthentic behavior, while TikTok told Business Insider, “We continue to closely monitor the situation, with increased resources to respond to emerging trends and remove violative content, including harmful misinformation and promotion of violence. We also partner with independent fact-checking organizations to further aid our efforts to help TikTok remain a safe and authentic place.”

While the platforms are presumably working to take down blatant misinformation, journalists like those at CNN are also actively fact-checking viral videos in order to ensure that any first person accounts from Russian military action is accurate.