Considering that the 2015 US election and 2016 Brexit referendum upsets, foreign influence on democratic elections has developed into a hot topic. On John Oliver’s The other day Tonight, a segment explained the ease of tampering with voting machines which inspired me to write this informative article. Before I get into how simple and inexpensive it can be to propagate disinformation on the internet, I’d like provide some background on why and exactly how more nations will likely be entering digital warfare space within the future.
Foundations of Geopolitics, the sunday paper drafted from the International Department from the Russian Ministry of Defence back 1997, paved the way like a philosophical instructions manual for dismantling and dethroning enemies and super-powers alike, together with the ultimate objective of “Finlandization” like Europe. In accordance with Wikipedia’s summary on the strategy:
“Military operations play relatively little role. The textbook advocates a sophisticated program of subversion, destabilization, and disinformation spearheaded through the Russia special services.”
During the 2015 US election sufficient reason for a meagre monthly budget of just $1.25M (estimated $15M each year), Russia’s Investigations Agency surely could provide the US election for the Republican Party. When it comes to return-on-investment (ROI), Russia spends $36M per Mi-35 helicopter. It’s no surprise then, that as Russia gains more territory and influence, its actual military spending is decreasing.
Military power is clearly a very costly ongoing expense where destabilization is comparatively cheap and plentiful. But how exactly is done?
Tactic 1: Choose the Fractures Then Divide & Conquer
With all the demonstration of the US, this fracturing tactic was exquisitely executed by fuelling instability and actively supporting all dissident groups simultaneously to inflame tensions and divide communities. Enemies of america have already been fanning the flames of white nationalism, gun rights groups, stoking anti-immigration sentiment along with the vilification of refugees and Muslims have been most visible. Yet this only scratches the outer lining.
But more subtle and vicious domestic attacks have been around in support of fringe along with other right-wing religious groups attacking women’s reproductive rights, gay marriage equality, homelessness and mental health.
There has been generational divisiveness growing between Middle-agers and Millennials. There’s a growing demonization of environmental stewardship (see baseless attacks and also other trolling of Greta Thunberg) and attacks on democratically-held values generally.
Long-term, inter-generational damage through the exploitation of those existing divides sometimes appears in the gutting of the US education system, diminishing access to healthcare for those, ballooning deficits that generations to come will be saddled down by are just some of the long-term consequences to get gone through this surprisingly inexpensive destabilization warfare technique.
What were once cracks in an overarching national unity have become red line fractures within an artificially created, cold civil war. The majority are now asking the fact that was done to exploit these existing social divides?
Tactic 2: Leverage the digital age intersection between behavioural economics, social media loopholes as well as the relative easy search results exploitation
As a digital strategist and online marketer I have observed that lots of the tactics available to civilians were modified to get weaponized against competing nations. Boosting social media marketing reach on divisive posts and influencers gave fringe groups a false sense they held popular yet controversial views.
Social networking has several loopholes i often share to my internet marketer followings so they can acquire more bang for buck with clients. It’s remember social media marketing platforms’ #1 goal is usually to help keep you for the platform provided that possible for them to make ad revenue. They do this by revealing content they believe help keep you on a little bit longer. They all are literally designed at some level being addictive to us.
I discuss within my marketing content the various exploitation opportunties that trick these social platforms into thinking your content is viral by fooling the algorithm they count on to distribute to users.
As an example, with lower than $100 I’m able to buy 10,000 twitter followers, automatically getting 1,000 retweets and favourites on 10 posts. For $100 of paid ads on twitter, you barely get any results. That’s because Twitter under-reports bot activity in order to convince its shareholders that site engagement is growing. It’s not only Twitter – Facebook, Instagram, Youtube (Google), Snapchat and even Linkedin have the ability to the same fundamental vulnerability. It is now very easy to give false social proof to almost anything.
Humans are hardwired with cognitive biases that are easily and often exploited by social networking platforms and look engines to create us believe that everything is more (or less) popular compared to they truly are. Increasingly we are most often getting stuck in your own social echo chambers and believe most people see things the same as us.
There have been legitimate grievances round the US economy like job losses from globalization and artificial intelligence resulting in increased economic inequality. But US citizens were manipulated and sentiment hijacked by populist narratives for being the victim in the government, elites, experts, Democrats, Mexicans, Muslims, and foreign allies.
Tactic 3: Erode Trust & Global Alliances
What’s worse, not only was the goal achieved to destabilize the united states by facilitating the turning of your nation on itself, but additionally have its internal damage bleed Anti-Americanism into US-global relations. The surprise betrayal in the American-Kurd alliance can have lasting consequences on American credibility, leaving American soldiers and civilians more prone than in the past.
France, the the oldest international ally of the United States, is now questioning just how much it might count on the US following your abrupt pulling folks forces from Northern Syria without the consultations from NATO partners. As stated by the BBC,
“Russia, which sees Nato being a threat for the security, welcomes french president’s comments as “truthful words.””
It’s tough to say just when this second Cold War started, but one thing is certain: we’re woefully ready to defend ourselves from disinformation and have been taught to avoid difficult political conversations.
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