Search

The author of the article pursues several vignettes drafted in the course of the military and academic discussions, related to the social media. Initial section of the publication is dedicated to the social sphere of the human nature. The reasons and motives inspiring people to create networks are investigated. The subsequent part provides a description of currently available social media platforms. The tools, their utility and basic characteristics are examined. Such summary is used as a framework to build few conclusions on the potential risks and opportunities, offered by virtual networks for the security community. Findings are consequently confronted with existing doctrines. Some structural assumptions are drafted within this section, in order to provide a conceptual point of reference for further research. The author than continues with selected case studies of the social media military application. The article is concluded by a few reflections encapsulating the role of non-kinetic, social media embedded warfare in the contemporary conflicts.

Social media has become one of the primary modes of communication throughout the world, especially in developed countries. Nearly every user of social media in its various forms or applications has an audience he or she can influence and a set of influencers from which he or she receives information. U.S. Psychological Operations (PSYOP) personnel focus on influencing foreign target audiences in their audience’s own language but have been slow to adapt to the use of social media as a means of influence. Drawing from principles used in influencer marketing, we ask, How can U.S. PSYOP forces and their partners best identify social media influencers with whom they can partner in their effort to change the behavior of foreign target audiences? Through this study, we identified the main factors for influence on social media using both quantitative and qualitative analysis and developed a decision-making tool to identify the key communicators, in particular social media influencers, who can elicit the desired behavioral change in a target audience. The seven-category influencer scorecard we created provides a low-tech, situationally adaptable method for identifying influencers with whom U.S. PSYOP can partner to execute a PSYOP series. Major, United States Army Major, United States Army Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

This thesis seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the Russian disinformation campaigns targeting the 2020 U.S. elections and the efforts taken by the U.S. government and social media companies to thwart them. To develop countermeasures for Russian interference activities targeting future American elections, this thesis asks the question: What impact did the countermeasures taken by the American social media companies and the U.S. government have on Russian social media influence campaigns targeting the 2020 U.S. elections? This thesis uses a framework developed by Thomas Wilhelm, a U.S. Army researcher, to evaluate Russian hybrid warfare, based on the principles of Andrei Kartapolov, a prominent Russian general. Accordingly, it is used to measure the qualitative impact of the Russian measures and American countermeasures during the 2020 U.S. elections. This thesis finds that the Russians shifted their tactics from 2016 to 2020. Still, the U.S. government and social media companies effectively impeded their influence campaigns primarily through information sharing and account takedowns, respectively. Because the Russians will continue their influence campaigns to undermine the United States, this thesis provides recommendations to include standardized information sharing and the establishment of a national coordination center. Civilian, Federal Bureau of Investigation Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

With the availability of an abundance of data through the Internet, the premises to solve some intelligence analysis tasks have changed for the better. The study presented herein sets out to examine whether and how a data-driven approach can contribute to solve intelligence tasks. During a full day observational study, an ordinary military intelligence unit was divided into two uniform teams. Each team was independently asked to solve the same realistic intelligence analysis task. Both teams were allowed to use their ordinary set of tools, but in addition one team was also given access to a novel text analysis prototype tool specifically designed to support data-driven intelligence analysis of social media data. The results, obtained from the case study with a high ecological validity, suggest that the prototype tool provided valuable insights by bringing forth information from a more diverse set of sources, specifically from private citizens that would not have been easily discovered otherwise. Also, regardless of its objective contribution, the capabilities and the usage of the tool were embraced and subjectively perceived as useful by all involved analysts.

Does Russia’s use of social media influence the American public discourse on nuclear weapons? Russia is influencing the American public discourse and is using an active long-term media strategy to complement and support its nuclear policy objectives. However, the discourse is mostly reactive and ranges from positive and negative discourse about Russia’s strategic nuclear weapons. This research does not find that Russian media is successfully influencing and persuading U.S. audiences to believe Russian content. However, the discourse does present opportunity for political action and change in U.S. policy. This research is focused on Twitter discourse, while considering the reaction from U.S. media and reactive policy statements of the United States. The lack of Internet and online advertising regulations enables deliberate targeting of audiences on the topic of nuclear weapons, specifically to garner support for the Russian government’s narrative. The suspension of the intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty, Russia’s development of new strategic weapons, and increased media communications between the United States and Russia are reminiscent of the early 1980s “War Scare” and provide a framework for understanding Russia’s methods today. The research is conducted with qualitative and quantitative methods, with primary and secondary research, and provides historical background, framing of media, social network analysis, and application to information strategy. http://archive.org/details/socialmediaandst1094564099 Major, United States Army Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

This thesis provides an overview of how the Russian Federation deploys strategic weapons of influence through social media with the intent to weaken the United States. The thesis asserts that these influence weapons are a direct threat to U.S. national security and have not been completely neutralized by present countermeasures. In an effort to improve the U.S. response to this threat, this thesis seeks to answer the following questions: (1) How effective has the U.S. government's response been to countering Russia's strategic weapons of influence on social media from the 2016 U.S. presidential election through the end of 2018? (2) How effective has the social media industry's self-regulation been in preventing further platform exploitation by strategic weapons of influence during the same time frame? It finds that both the present governmental and private sector responses have not completely blunted this threat. The Kremlin's continued propagation of socially corrosive, divisive narratives over social media highlights the need for an improved response capability that includes cognitive defenses and a government-housed alert mechanism. http://archive.org/details/combatingstrateg1094562826 Civilian, Department of Homeland Security Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

This study investigates the possibility of implementing national psychological defence measures utilizing social media. These measures are understood as an exercise of political power and are contextualised in the contemporary global information arena using Castells theory of communication power in the network society, while employing PSYOPS methodology to further understand the tactical dimensions. It also attempts to evaluate the prevalence of ”filter bubbles” and the potential hindrance such may be to successful implementation. Results show that key audiences can be reached and effectively influenced through the use of social media advert targeting systems and open source, fact-based information campaigns.

Target Audience Analysis (TAA) is a process of finding suitable target audiences for psychological operations (PSYOPS). Typically, a TAA is a one-way process with some kind of a feedback system. The cyber domain presents a challenge to this type of sequential, linear process by refusing to stay still while the process is being executed, possibly leading to results from yesterday’s data in an environment that no longer exists today. Another challenge is that identifiable human beings—the traditional targets of PSYOPS—are not the only inhabitants of the cyber domain. Physical devices, nicknames, IP addresses, networks, and a vast amount of data populate this environment, in which there are no human beings, only their presentations and behavioural residue in a multitude of forms. The authors argue that while the psychological theories behind influence operations still form the basis for PSYOPS as a whole, a re-thinking of methods is necessary for the cyber domain. To conceptualize the cyber domain as a platform for influence operations, the authors suggest a five-layer structure based on Martin C. Libicki’s model. In each of these five layers, the target audiences are present in different forms. Thus, all information between humans is filtered through all of the layers with their own rules and causalities. In order to be successful in any influence attempt, one must understand and utilize the characteristics of each layer. The authors also propose that the rhizome theory is the most effective theoretical approach for understanding the complex interactions within the cyber domain. peerReviewed

TheUnited States is in an ideological war with violent extremists in the realm of mass communication, but the nature of this conflict is not well understood. This thesis reviewed literature concerning communication principles and the psychology of symbolism, then used qualitative analysis to investigate strategic communication samples to understand how media was used to construct group identity, influence attitudes, and challenge adversaries. Themes critical to narrative construction were identified, as were communication techniques that place emphasis on key ideas in music and film. The roles of symbolism, rituals, and music in human behavior were further researched. This research was then applied to the Islamic State’s use of media to influence attitudes and inspire behavior. The ultimate recommendation suggests that theUnited States approach this conflict as a true war by asserting a communication strategy designed to disrupt violent, exclusionary ideologies. http://archive.org/details/advanceofblackfl1094547818 Fire Captain, Long Beach Fire Department Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.