COMBATING STRATEGIC WEAPONS OF INFLUENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
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Authors
Walker, Robert E.
Subjects
propaganda
social media
information warfare
active measures
influence operations
democracy
social discourse
hybrid warfare
bots
trolls
cyber
psychological operations
Soviet Union
Russia
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Google
big data
data analytics
micro targeting
2016 presidential election
social media
information warfare
active measures
influence operations
democracy
social discourse
hybrid warfare
bots
trolls
cyber
psychological operations
Soviet Union
Russia
big data
data analytics
micro targeting
2016 presidential election
Advisors
Wirtz, James J.
Jasper, Scott E.
Date of Issue
2019-06
Date
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
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.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
National Security Affairs (NSA)
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
Copyright is reserved by the copyright owner.