Uncertainty and information supremacy: the Italian social ecosystem vis-a-vis the pandemic

The global pandemic caused by the novel Covid-19 has seen Italy as one of the worst-affected nations worldwide. The measures adopted by the government in response to the health emergency had a profound impact on the country’s political, social and economic scenario. This situation has grafted onto an international arena which, regardless of the quantitative difference from country to country, has been deeply affected, both from an economic and a political point of view. This global crisis has left societies bare, witnessed the United States withdrawing from its 50 years of global leadership, and questioned the political and economic pillars which have been defining globalization for decades. However, as a global phenomenon, the pandemic has involved the whole international community, which, after confronting the containment phase and its widespread effects, is wondering about the future direction of the global political balance. From this perspective, the Italian case has been distinguishing itself by the increasing mobilization of humanitarian tools in tandem with traditional diplomatic instruments typically enacted by those who aim at shaping future global power structures. In particular, the most dynamic personalities in this new "geopolitics of aid” have been Russia and China, which, in parallel with the noble intentions of supporting our country, pursue far wider foreign policy objectives, establishing the premises of the post-Covid era. A privileged yardstick for assessing the effectiveness of the Russian and Chinese aid policy is analysing the perception of the Italian public, and within it, those active in the ecosystem of online conversations. The aim of this work is, precisely, to analyze how Italian users have reacted to the actions of Russia and China and, consequently, to assess whether humanitarian aid has managed, at least in terms of popular response, to obtain a positive response in line with their foreign policy objectives.