Modern Military Operations and Civilian Tactics
In the Age of Social Media
Introduction
In the digital age, the battleground has extended far beyond the physical realm, spilling into the vast and intricate networks of information and communication technologies. This new frontier, the digital domain of warfare, encompasses not just the tactical skirmishes fought with bytes and code but a more pervasive and subtle form of conflict—information manipulation. Here, the weaponization of data, narratives, and digital platforms becomes a powerful tool, capable of shaping perceptions, influencing public opinion, and directing the course of political, social, and economic currents across the globe.
As nations and non-state actors alike harness the potential of digital technologies, the manipulation of information has emerged as a critical strategy in asserting dominance, undermining adversaries, and controlling the global narrative. This form of warfare, though invisible to the naked eye, holds the power to destabilize societies, sway electoral outcomes, and erode trust in institutions, fundamentally altering the fabric of democracies and autocracies alike.
In this context, the digital domain becomes not just a space for conflict but a theater of operations where the lines between truth and falsehood blur, where reality can be distorted at the click of a button, and where the unseen battle for the hearts and minds of populations is waged with unprecedented intensity. As we delve into the complexities of information manipulation and digital influence operations, we confront the ethical, legal, and societal challenges posed by this new form of warfare, seeking strategies for defense, resilience, and the preservation of our collective values and democratic principles in the face of an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Military Operations in the Social Media Landscape
In the digital era, social media has emerged not just as a platform for social interaction but as a critical battlefield in both modern military operations and civilian influence campaigns. This transformation extends traditional concepts of warfare and influence into the digital realm, where activities are designed to sway public opinion, gather intelligence, disrupt enemy operations, and manipulate narratives on a global scale.
Social media's role in military strategies is multifaceted, involving:
Psychological Operations (PSYOPS): These operations target the perceptions and behaviors of individuals, groups, or governments. Militaries use social media to disseminate disinformation, create propaganda, and conduct campaigns to influence public opinion, demoralize adversaries, and bolster their strategic goals.
Cyber Warfare: This facet involves hacking and cyber-attacks on social media platforms to collect intelligence, spread malware, or disrupt communications. It targets social media accounts to disseminate false information, steal data, or sow discord.
Information Operations (IO): IO entails managing information to gain a competitive edge, including spreading truthful information, counter-propaganda, and suppressing adversary propaganda. The aim is to influence decision-making processes and protect or exploit information.
Civil-Military Operations: These operations leverage social media for interacting with civilians in conflict zones, including disseminating information and conducting PSYOPS to build local support, distribute warnings, and counter enemy propaganda.
Reconnaissance and Intelligence Gathering: Monitoring social media is crucial for collecting actionable intelligence on enemy movements, intentions, and morale, offering insights into adversaries' strategies and public sentiments.
Counterterrorism Operations: These operations focus on identifying and monitoring potential terrorist activities and networks on social media to prevent radicalization and disrupt communication channels.
Perception Management: This involves shaping domestic and international perceptions to support military objectives and national interests, managing narratives around military actions, humanitarian efforts, and engagements with allies or adversaries.
Each operation exploits social media's unique capabilities to rapidly reach wide audiences, manipulate narratives, and achieve strategic objectives. However, these operations are bound by ethical considerations, information accuracy challenges, and potential for unintended consequences, necessitating adherence to legal and ethical guidelines to ensure national security interests and respect for international norms.
Civilian Operations: Tactics of Influence and Control
Beyond the military sphere, various actors employ social media tactics to influence public opinion and manipulate narratives:
Astroturfing Campaigns: These create a false impression of grassroots support or opposition, using fake accounts or recruited individuals to mimic organic movements and mislead about genuine support levels.
Disinformation and Misinformation Campaigns: Intentionally spreading false or misleading information aims to deceive, confuse, or manipulate public perceptions, undermining trust in institutions and inciting conflict.
Divide and Conquer Strategies: Exploiting social media to exacerbate or create divisions within or between groups weakens collective solidarity by inflaming disagreements or amplifying extremist viewpoints.
Distraction Operations: Redirecting public attention from significant issues through unrelated or trivial matters diverts scrutiny from potentially damaging topics or operations.
Honey Traps: Creating fake profiles to establish relationships for intelligence gathering or compromising individuals, traditionally associated with espionage but adapted for social media to manipulate or discredit targets.
Cyber Troops or Trolls: Organized efforts to harass, intimidate, or silence opposing viewpoints, discouraging participation or activism, and spreading disinformation.
Social Bots and Automated Accounts: Programmed to automatically generate content and engage with users, these bots inflate support for causes, spread misinformation, or harass individuals.
Covert Influence Operations: Subtly redirecting the efforts of effective groups away from sensitive topics, employing social engineering to manipulate research agendas without revealing control motives.
Social Engineering: Building trust and manipulating group focus through friendship and strategic information provision, subtly influencing research directions and exploiting trust.
These tactics highlight the complexity of information manipulation, where trust and credibility are paramount yet vulnerable. Real-world parallels include corporate espionage, where companies divert competitors, and political contexts, where operatives infiltrate groups to dilute efforts or redirect focus. Such operations, forming a broader toolkit in information warfare and PSYOPs, aim to control narratives, shape public opinion, and protect interests covertly, underscoring the era's challenges in navigating information integrity and manipulation.
Crafting Influence: The Art of Covert Operations in Social Media
In an era where information flows unbounded, social media platforms have transcended their initial purpose, morphing into arenas where strategic battles for public perception and behavior are waged. This evolving landscape has given rise to sophisticated campaigns that weave through the fabric of digital interactions, subtly influencing opinions and actions without the direct knowledge of those involved. Let's delve into a hypothetical scenario that demonstrates various tactics of influence, illustrating the complexity and effectiveness of such operations while remaining ethically mindful and avoiding unfounded attributions.
The Scenario Unfolds
Background: Picture "Nation A," gripped by internal political discord and public dissatisfaction with its governance. Enter "Country B," an external entity eyeing an opportunity to destabilize Nation A further by deepening its societal rifts and shifting attention from its own contentious maneuvers in the geopolitical arena.
Campaign Strategy:
Astroturfing Campaigns: Country B crafts an illusion of mass opposition within Nation A through the proliferation of fake social media accounts. These accounts, mirroring the identity of Nation A's citizens, flood the digital space with organized protests, discussions, and events, magnifying dissent beyond its actual scale.
Disinformation and Misinformation Campaigns: The synthetic accounts disseminate fabricated stories and distorted truths about Nation A's government, seeding doubts through tales of corruption, incompetence, and alleged foreign collusion.
Divide and Conquer Strategies: Leveraging existing societal fractures within Nation A, such as ethnic tensions and economic disparities, Country B's campaign tailors content to deepen these divides, using social media as a conduit to amplify extremism and highlight injustices, pitting communities against each other.
Distraction Operations: To eclipse its aggressive maneuvers elsewhere, Country B launches a global, non-political social media challenge. This diversion captivates worldwide attention, obscuring the discussions around its geopolitical ambitions.
Honey Traps: Operatives from Country B craft enticing online personas to engage with key figures and activists in Nation A, aiming to extract compromising information or utterances that could later be used for public discredit.
Cyber Troops or Trolls: A digital army of trolls, orchestrated by Country B, unleashes targeted attacks on social platforms against those in Nation A striving for unity or exposing the falsities, fostering a hostile environment that stifles productive dialogue.
Social Bots and Automated Accounts: The deployment of automated bots serves to exponentially increase the visibility and perceived support of the divisive content, manipulating the platform's algorithms to favor their narrative.
Real-World Reflections
While purely speculative, this scenario mirrors aspects of operations witnessed in recent history. Notably, the U.S. Intelligence Community's accusations against Russia for its involvement in the 2016 and 2020 U.S. elections highlight a real-world parallel. These allegations pointed to tactics of disinformation, societal division, and attempts at swaying public opinion and electoral outcomes, akin to the strategies outlined above. Such tactics have found application globally, where entities have exploited social media to manipulate public discourse, meddle in internal politics, and destabilize societal cohesion.
The Essence of Covert Influence
The strategic redirection of Group A's research by Person A exemplifies a covert influence operation peppered with social engineering techniques. By ingratiating themselves with the group, Person A subtly steers their focus away from topics potentially damaging to certain entrenched narratives, all under the guise of shared objectives and mutual trust. This operation hinges on the innate human propensity to trust those perceived as allies or members of one's group, leveraging this trust to manipulate outcomes discreetly.
Ethical and Operational Complexities
This narrative, while fictional, underscores the intricate web of influence operations pervading the digital age. It reflects the operational playbook of entities engaging in information warfare and psychological operations, aimed at narrative control, public opinion shaping, and safeguarding vested interests under a veil of secrecy. The sophistication and stealth of these tactics highlight the challenges of navigating an era where trust and credibility are paramount yet increasingly vulnerable to exploitation.
In understanding these dynamics, it's crucial to approach information with a critical eye, recognizing the potential for covert influence in the seemingly innocuous ebb and flow of digital discourse. As we traverse this complex landscape, the onus is on individuals, communities, and institutions to foster resilience against manipulation, ensuring the integrity of our collective decision-making processes.
In the type of covert influence operation described, the players and their roles can be quite nuanced, with some individuals fully aware of their involvement and others unwittingly contributing to the operation's goals. Here's a closer look at the potential players and how someone might control responses without their direct knowledge:
The Players, The Game, The Rules
The Operator (Person A): This is the individual or entity orchestrating the operation. They have a clear objective and are aware of the operation's entire scope. The operator strategically manipulates the target group or individuals, often through social engineering, to divert or influence their actions according to the operation's goals.
The Target Group (Group A): This group is the primary focus of the operation. They are skilled and influential in their domain (e.g., debunking political claims). The target group is unaware of the operator's ulterior motives and believes in the authenticity of the interactions and information provided by the operator.
Unwitting Participants: These individuals may contribute to the operation's goals without their knowledge. They could be sources of information, members of the target group, or part of the broader community that interacts with the target group. Their actions, influenced by carefully planted suggestions or information, help steer the narrative or research direction desired by the operator.
Allied Agents: While not always present, these are individuals or entities that knowingly assist the operator. They might help validate the operator's credibility, amplify certain messages, or act as additional sources of influence. Unlike the operator, their involvement might be more peripheral, focusing on specific tasks or objectives.
Controlling Responses Without Direct Knowledge
The key to controlling responses without direct awareness lies in understanding human psychology and the specific profiles of the individuals involved. By knowing their interests, biases, decision-making processes, and vulnerabilities, an operator can predict and influence their reactions or decisions. This can be achieved through:
Selective Information Provision: Offering information that aligns with the target's interests or preconceptions, making it more likely they will accept and act on it without recognizing external influence.
Echo Chambers: Amplifying certain viewpoints or information through a network of seemingly independent sources, reinforcing the target's beliefs or perceptions, leading them to make decisions that serve the operator's goals.
Emotional Manipulation: Exploiting emotional triggers to elicit specific reactions or decisions. This could involve framing information in a way that provokes fear, anger, enthusiasm, or other emotions that predictably influence behavior.
Operation Structure Relating to Personnel
Planning and Intelligence: This phase involves detailed profiling of the target group and mapping out the strategic approach. Personnel involved here are skilled in research, psychology, and strategy development.
Engagement: Operators and allied agents engage with the target group and unwitting participants, executing the planned approach. This requires individual’s adept in communication, persuasion, and social engineering.
Monitoring and Adaptation: Continuous monitoring of the operation's progress and the target group's responses is essential. Based on this, the strategy might be adapted. Analysts and strategists are key personnel in this phase.
Exit Strategy: Ideally, the operation includes a plan for disengaging or redirecting focus once objectives are achieved, minimizing suspicion or backlash. This requires careful planning and execution to avoid leaving traces that could unravel the operation's intent.
A successful operation of this nature requires a mix of strategic planning, psychological insight, and tactical execution, with various individuals playing roles ranging from direct orchestration to unknowing participation.
Countermeasures and Defense Strategies Against Social Media Influence Operations
In response to the growing threat of social media influence operations, a multi-faceted approach involving digital literacy, public awareness campaigns, the proactive role of tech companies, fact-checking initiatives, and international collaboration has been developed to safeguard the integrity of information and public discourse.
Digital Literacy and Public Awareness Campaigns
Digital literacy has emerged as a crucial defense against misinformation and influence operations, equipping individuals with the skills to critically evaluate the information they encounter online. This involves understanding how social media algorithms work, recognizing the signs of fake news, and verifying sources before sharing content.
While it was once common for government agencies, alongside NGOs and other entities, to lead public awareness campaigns, there's been a shift towards a more critical evaluation of such efforts. Increasingly, there's recognition of the value in seeking expertise from the private sector. Given the diverse funding sources behind government bodies, NGOs, and educational institutions, discerning the true intent and potential impact of these campaigns has become more challenging.
Psychological Operations (PSYOPS)
Defense Strategy: Cultivate critical thinking and emotional intelligence. Recognize when content is designed to manipulate emotions or reinforce biases. Seek out multiple sources to get a well-rounded view of the news.
Cyber Warfare
Defense Strategy: Maintain robust cyber hygiene. Use strong, unique passwords, enable two-factor authentication, update software regularly, and be cautious about the links you click and the information you share online.
Information Operations (IO)
Defense Strategy: Educate yourself on media literacy. Learn to identify trustworthy sources and understand the difference between opinion, propaganda, and factual reporting. Use fact-checking sites to verify dubious claims.
Civil-Military Operations
Defense Strategy: Be aware of the context. If you’re in or connected to a conflict zone, verify the information through multiple channels before acting on it, especially if it involves safety warnings or public announcements.
Reconnaissance and Intelligence Gathering
Defense Strategy: Be cautious about what personal information you share on social media. Adjust privacy settings to limit what's visible publicly and be skeptical of unknown contacts or suspicious friend requests.
Counterterrorism Operations
Defense Strategy: Stay informed about the signs of radicalization and report suspicious activities to appropriate authorities. Support community engagement initiatives that promote social cohesion and understanding.
Perception Management
Defense Strategy: Recognize attempts to shape perceptions through narrative control. Diversify your media consumption to include multiple perspectives, especially on controversial topics.
Civilian Operations: Tactics of Influence and Control
For the civilian-specific tactics mentioned, here are targeted defense strategies:
Astroturfing Campaigns
Defense Strategy: Look for signs of inauthenticity, such as a sudden influx of similar messages or accounts without a verifiable history. Research to see if reputable sources are reporting the same story.
Disinformation and Misinformation Campaigns
Defense Strategy: Double-check information against reputable fact-checking services. Educate yourself and others about common misinformation techniques.
Divide and Conquer Strategies
Defense Strategy: Foster unity by promoting dialogue and understanding across divides. Be wary of content that seems designed to inflame or polarize.
Distraction Operations
Defense Strategy: Stay focused on issues that matter to you. Don’t let trending topics distract you from ongoing issues of importance.
Honey Traps
Defense Strategy: Be cautious in forming new online relationships, especially with those who seem to be pushing for personal information or expressing undue interest in your work or connections.
Cyber Troops or Trolls
Defense Strategy: Don’t feed the trolls. Engage constructively in online discussions and avoid being drawn into arguments designed to derail or inflame.
Social Bots and Automated Accounts
Defense Strategy: Learn to recognize bot-like behavior, such as repetitive posting patterns or nonsensical replies. Report and block suspicious accounts.
Covert Influence Operations and Social Engineering
Defense Strategy: Build a strong network of trusted contacts and verify unexpected information or requests through direct communication. Be cautious of manipulation tactics that prey on trust or authority.
General Defense Principles
Across all these tactics, a common defense strategy is to enhance your information resilience:
Engage in lifelong learning about digital literacy and security.
Build and maintain a healthy skepticism towards too-good-to-be-true narratives or highly divisive content.
Create a diverse and reliable information ecosystem for yourself, stepping outside echo chambers.
Promote and practice open, respectful discourse, fostering an environment where manipulation tactics are less effective.
Impact on Society and Our Republic: The Long-Term Implications of Influence Operations
Social media influence operations have profound and lasting effects on society, fundamentally altering the landscape of public trust, social cohesion, and the functioning of our republics processes. These operations, through the manipulation of information, have the power to shape perceptions, behaviors, and ultimately, the very fabric of American life.
Erosion of Public Trust
One of the most damaging consequences of influence operations is the erosion of public trust in institutions. When individuals are repeatedly exposed to disinformation or manipulative content that casts doubt on the integrity of electoral processes, public officials, or the media, the result is a gradual loss of confidence in these institutions. This skepticism extends beyond politics, affecting public trust in science, education, and even public health.
Fragmentation of Social Cohesion
Social media influence operations exploit and deepen societal divisions, using tactics designed to polarize communities and exacerbate tensions. By amplifying extremist views, spreading hate speech, and creating echo chambers, these operations fragment social cohesion. The targeted use of disinformation can inflame existing conflicts and create new ones, leading to a society more divided along ideological, ethnic, or political lines. This fragmentation poses significant challenges to consensus-building and cooperative action needed to address collective issues.
Impact on our Republic
The integrity of constitutional processes is directly challenged by influence operations. Manipulative campaigns can affect election outcomes by spreading false information about candidates, suppressing voter turnout through disillusionment, or sowing doubt about the electoral process's fairness. Moreover, the strategic release of hacked information can alter the narrative and momentum of political campaigns. These tactics undermine the principle of informed consent that underpins democratic governance, as voters are misled or coerced, rather than making choices based on accurate and comprehensive information.
Radicalization and Extremism
The targeted dissemination of extremist ideologies and conspiracy theories through social media channels can lead to radicalization. Individuals, especially those who feel disenfranchised or isolated, may be drawn into online communities where radical views are normalized and glorified. This environment can escalate grievances into violent action, posing threats to public safety and security. The pathway from online radicalization to real-world violence underscores the urgent need to address the roots and conduits of extremist content.
Erosion of Trust in our Republic’s Institutions
The cumulative effect of influence operations on public trust, social cohesion, and our republics integrity has a corrosive effect on the foundational pillars of the republic. As trust in the electoral process, the judiciary, and legislative bodies diminishes, the very basis of representative governance is weakened. This erosion of trust poses a significant challenge to the republic's ability to function effectively, resolve conflicts, and foster a shared sense of purpose and identity among its citizens.
The long-term implications of social media influence operations on society and the republic are profound and multifaceted. Addressing these challenges requires a concerted effort that combines governmental action, civil society engagement, and individual responsibility. Strengthening the resilience of democratic institutions, promoting social cohesion, and ensuring the integrity of information in the public domain are critical steps toward safeguarding the republic's future. By fostering an informed, engaged, and united citizenry, we can counteract the divisive and destructive effects of influence operations and reaffirm our commitment to the principles of our republic and public trust.
Case Study’s
Exploring case studies deepens our understanding of how social media and digital strategies can be effectively leveraged in various contexts, including the realms of information dissemination and cyber conflict. These examples not only illuminate the tactical execution of campaigns but also shed light on their broader implications for public perception, security, and international relations. Through such analysis, we can discern patterns of behavior, identify effective countermeasures, and anticipate future trends in digital warfare and information manipulation. This approach not only enhances our comprehension of the strategic landscape but also empowers us to develop more robust defenses against misinformation and cyber threats, ultimately contributing to a more informed and resilient society.
Case Study 1
Social Media Influence in Political Referendums and Elections
Background:
Political referendums and elections in various democracies have seen significant social media influence operations. These operations have aimed to engage with voters, shape public discourse, and influence the direction of political debate.
Tactics Used:
Information Dissemination: The spread of information, including both factual content and misleading narratives, to engage users and influence their perspectives on political issues.
Engagement Strategies: Utilization of targeted advertising and social media algorithms to increase the visibility of certain content, tailoring messages to specific audiences based on their online behavior and preferences.
Amplification of Sentiments: The use of automated accounts and bots to amplify particular viewpoints or narratives, creating a perception of widespread support or opposition to political entities or policies.
Impact:
These operations have highlighted the powerful role of social media in modern political campaigns, raising questions about the influence of digital platforms on public opinion and the integrity of our Republic and its processes. They underscore the need for enhanced digital literacy among the electorate and the importance of transparent, responsible use of social media by all stakeholders in the political process.
Case Study 2
Social Media's Dual Role in Civic Movements
Background:
Social media's capacity to connect individuals worldwide has made it a powerful tool for civic movements, enabling unprecedented levels of organization, mobilization, and narrative control. Yet, this very openness can be curtailed by the platforms themselves, where selective censorship and suppression of specific groups or ideologies can skew the public discourse.
Tactics Used:
Decentralized Coordination: While social media facilitates the swift organization of protests and communication, the selective visibility of these movements can impact their ability to mobilize effectively.
Narrative Shaping: The ability to directly reach a global audience allows movements to share their stories untainted by traditional media biases. However, when platforms exercise censorship, they can significantly influence which narratives gain traction and which are stifled.
Evidence Sharing: Documenting events through social media can spotlight causes and foster solidarity. Yet, the removal or suppression of content based on platform policies can obscure important issues, hindering public awareness and support.
Challenges:
Misinformation and Escalated Tensions: The ease of spreading misinformation on social media can exacerbate tensions, highlighting the need for careful content moderation that respects free expression while preventing harm.
Content Moderation and Censorship: The suppression of certain groups, even those with extremist ideologies, from social media discussions risks creating echo chambers and hinders the public's ability to understand and counteract such movements based on informed knowledge.
Impact and Considerations:
The dual role of social media in civic movements underscores the delicate balance between fostering open dialogue and ensuring community safety. While social media undeniably empowers grassroots activism, its role in censoring content raises critical questions about freedom of speech, the right to peaceful assembly, and the responsibilities of tech companies in shaping public discourse.
The only constant safeguard in this evolving landscape should be adherence to the rule of law. Expressions that incite violence or are explicitly illegal warrant moderation. However, the broad censorship of controversial yet legal viewpoints risks undermining the democratic values of open discussion and informed public debate.
Conclusion:
The case of social media's influence on civic movements illustrates the platforms' profound impact on societal change and democratic engagement. A balanced approach to content moderation, grounded in transparency and respect for legal expressions, is essential in harnessing social media's positive potential while mitigating its risks. This case study calls for ongoing dialogue among tech companies, users, and policymakers to navigate the challenges of digital age governance and ensure social media remains a force for democratic good.
Case Study 3:
Social Media in the Landscape of Public Health Discourse
Background:
The landscape of public health discourse on social media is multifaceted, involving a variety of stakeholders including health organizations, pharmaceutical companies, and the public. These platforms have been pivotal in circulating information regarding health initiatives, vaccine programs, and responses to health crises.
Tactics Used:
Dissemination of Diverse Perspectives: Various entities, including health organizations and pharmaceutical companies, utilize social media to share information about health campaigns and products. This content ranges from educational materials and health updates to promotional information, reflecting a spectrum of interests and motivations.
Engagement with a Broad Audience: The efforts to counter misinformation about health topics often involve direct engagement with the public, deploying fact-checking resources and dialogues to address concerns and questions. This includes addressing skepticism and critique that arises from concerns about the influence of commercial interests on public health messaging.
Collaboration and Critique: While there are collaborations with influencers and community leaders to broaden the reach of health messages, these platforms also serve as a venue for critical discourse. Activists, independent researchers, and concerned citizens use social media to scrutinize and debate the motivations behind health campaigns, highlighting the complexity of interests that can influence public health narratives.
Impact:
The role of social media in public health campaigns illustrates its capacity to both inform and complicate public understanding of health issues. On one hand, it offers a direct channel for disseminating vital health information; on the other, it reflects the contested nature of health discourse, where questions about the influence of commercial interests and the integrity of health messaging arise. This dynamic underscore the importance of critical media literacy among the public, enabling individuals to navigate and assess the varied sources and motivations behind health information on social media. It also highlights the need for transparency and accountability from all stakeholders involved in public health communication, ensuring that public discourse enhances, rather than undermines, informed decision-making and trust in public health initiatives.
Conclusion
In the digital age, social media stands as a dual-edged sword, offering unprecedented opportunities for connection and empowerment but also presenting formidable challenges in the form of influence operations. These operations, spanning from psychological tactics and cyber warfare to information manipulation and beyond, highlight the sophisticated strategies employed to shape perceptions, sway public opinion, and impact decision-making processes on a global scale. The narrative underscores the pressing need for individuals to arm themselves with digital literacy, critical thinking, and robust cyber hygiene practices. By fostering a culture of skepticism towards manipulative content and engaging in informed, constructive dialogue, society can navigate the complex digital landscape more safely and ethically. This proactive stance is essential in safeguarding the integrity of our information ecosystem, ensuring that the foundational principles of our constitutional republic remain protected against the covert undercurrents seeking to influence and divide.
Written by Andrew Fayal, 17th SCOG
Edited by Open Ai, ChatGPT 4
References
4. goarmy.com 5 en.wikipedia.org
9. misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu
18. hitachi-systems security.com
What an excellent and very complete description of how ‘tech’ dissemination and manipulation of data, including so-called fact checking can, and has been used by all sides of the information war we are in. The bottom line of all is this is a more awakened citizenry that no longer blindly believes what has been broadcast on the various media platforms. “One of the most damaging consequences of influence operations is the erosion of public trust in institutions.” This is a true statement, however, I would add that the very erosion of trust is the result that we are more empowered to search multiple and widespread sources for our decisions. We are aware of the massive and equally widespread corruption in every facet of our society and that promotes questions; questions that are the very basis of the awakening process.
Thank you for such an informative article that provides ‘we the people’ a guide of where to start with ascertaining the truth in a chaotic battle for our minds.
Did bless you.🙏🙏
Concise and accurate sitrep synopsis. Hope more of the crew notice the bridge to the true essence of being alive you illustrate by illuminating our relative position. Brian