Social Media and the Counterinsurgent
While the senior leadership of the military's ambivalent attitude to blogs and bandwidth-hogging sites is well known, most of the young rank and file tend to mirror the US population in their internet activity.
In Wikinomics, the authors cite the example of FBI field agents using a first person shooter MMOG ( massive multiplayer online game) platform to "talk shop" as they game and get around cumbersome, dilatory, official, FBI channels to share information on cases that they are working. I'm curious as to the extent to which troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan have been availing themselves of social media apps for reasons other than personal amusement.
Strategic Communication, Public Affairs, and who needs to know what when
I'd like feedback on a study we at OSD New Media had done through the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at NDU. Completed in May, the New Media and Strategic Communication study was to look at the issues in the news media industry and help us identify where we, as an organization, need to adapt to the transformation. Thoughts? Ideas? Comments?
Feedback - do not start from this?
The paper is rather dense reading on a VDU and the layout needs to be improved.
I dislike the emphasis on the DoD being at the centre of strategic communications etc. Yes, relevant in combat zones like Afghanistan, not in Sub-Saharan Africa for example. What the USA has to communicate must come from clearly identifiable civilian sources, not the military.
The focus appears to be on the developed world, with it's electronic media access and variety of sources. In the less developed world internet access is the exception; radio plays a far more important role - cue the BBC World Service.
After 7/7 in London the Metropolitan Police (MPS) explained at a seminar that although they had excellent contacts with the mainstream media (of all types) they had next to no contact with two hundred plus non-English speaking radio outlets broadcasting in London. Reaching them would take time and a willingness to accept what MPS wanted to communicate. Curiously the multi-lingual press were not covered and in the UK their reporting / editorials appear rarely to reach outside their readership.
What media do non-American audiences use? I cannot recall seeing a mention of that, although it could have been in the footnotes.
IMHO designing a communication strategy without clearly stating that is doomed to fail.
Accepting a strategy is selected how will non-government US-based / US-owned media react? There will be no common "song sheet", rather I suspect the reverse - except in times of crisis.
What is the message the strategy seeks to deliver? That the USA is a good neighbour / friend and the worst enemy you can ever wish for once awakened?
In summary, I would not start this uphill fight based on this document.
I wholeheartedly agree with David
on my first reading; very bad format, over long, redundancy, developed world centric, inadequate attention to AM radio, etc. etc. DoD should only be involved at the operational and tactical level and then only lightly. It does not really address interface or dealing with a potentially hostile US media presence who will challenge anything done by the government just so they can say they did...
That said, however, like Sam, I'm still mulling.
How Insurgents Shape the Media Landscape
Insurgency Research Group, 24 Sep 08: How Insurgents Shape the Media Landscape
Quote:
Last week the Insurgency Research Group at KCL held a workshop on How Insurgents Shape the Media Landscape. The theme of the workshop was as follows:
The so-called Age of Terror, often said to have begun in 1968, changed irrevocably with the end of the Cold War. Where formerly news access had been sought by insurgents eager to draw global attention to their cause and struggles, the choice of what to highlight and where to focus journalistic coverage remained with news organisations. When ‘hot’ stories were supplanted by breaking news in fresh locations, public interest would inevitably shift with the departing reporters. However by the turn of the 1990s free market expansion accompanied the demise of bipolar ideological politics. At the same time information and communications technologies proliferated, offering terrorists low-cost, efficient ways of recording and disseminating their own message. An explosion in global satellite television and the consumer internet expanded the reach and penetration of groups no longer solely interested in conventional state overthrow. Instead, these aspire to transnational ideological and religious transformation by appealing to diasporas scattered around the world. Today a new wave of jihadi insurgent increasingly controls its own publicity agenda through instant connectivity of ‘battlefield’ imagery via internet, mobile telephony, and television satellite uplinks. Has the balance finally shifted away from news editors in favour of the insurgent? As time-frames between event and broadcast/publication shrink, are news organisations now wrong-footed by insurgent commanders who create and seek to shape the story? Are we in fact witnessing a revolution in the media landscape?
Daniel Bennett (a PhD student in the department who blogs at From the Frontline) has posted a 2 part report: How Insurgents Shape the Media Landscape, Part 1 and Part 2.
Engaging vulnerable audiences with New Media
PAO’s, IO Dudes, and PSYOPer’s, I could use some help if anyone has some recommendations.
I have been writing on and off in Small Wars Journal for the past year about foreign fighters, how they are recruited, what can be done about it, etc. I have another installment coming out in the next couple weeks but am starting to research for the next extension of this path I am on which is how to break the local communication cycles where foreign fighters are recruited. The new administration has already talked about their shift to Smart Power (which includes Strategic Communication, PSYOP, IO, etc.) which will be critical in accomplishing this. I just got done reading the study “Social Software and Security: An Initial ‘Net Assessment’” by NDU professors Dr. Mark Drapeau and Dr. Linton Wells http://www.ndu.edu/ctnsp/Defense_Tech_Papers.htm.
It’s really good and being not so savvy on new media, a good starting point for me.
Has anyone seen any research or case studies on how the US can use the new media to influence these hard to reach audiences where foreign fighters are being recruited? places the US doesn't have a persistent presence?
The above study gives some good case studies of how new media is being used. But, I am looking for some success stories from DOD and the West that are out there, where we have used new communications platforms (like this one) to engage vulnerable audiences. I have seen stories about CENTCOM using Youtube and an article about the British text messaging against the Taliban but I haven’t found much. Also, I want to look into the implications of using these new media platforms for SC, IO, PSYOP. Any thoughts you all have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for any recommendations.
Twitter, Bono, and Influence Operations
Hi PJ.
I put together this thread to add to the work y'all are already doing. It seems that we struggle at times in the information war so maybe we could do better by leveraging those that do it well instead of reinventing the wheel. Here are several examples to consider.
v/r
Mike
Is Iraq Ready for Twitter? New Media in a War Zone
Mark Kukis/ Time Magazine
Quote:
Jack Dorsey, the founder and chairman of Twitter, sees no reason why Iraqis cannot join the growing chorus of global "tweets" appearing on computers and cell phones worldwide every day. "We've always been focused on making sure that the lowest common denominator, the weakest technology, still has a voice," said Dorsey, who was in Baghdad this week with a delegation of high-tech executives at the invitation of the State Department. Cellphone-carrying Iraqis, Dorsey said, could utilize Twitter applications on their current mobiles for a range of things, even without broadband Internet connections, which are still in short supply in Iraq. "In our case that's using Twitter through SMS [text-messaging]," Dorsey added. "What we've found in Iraq is that we have 85% penetration of the mobile market here." (Should the founders of Twitter be among the most influential people in the world? Vote for the TIME 100.)
What Dorsey means is that 85% of people in Iraq carry mobile phones, usually more than one. This is a new reality in a country where roughly six years ago cellphone were virtually nonexistent. For Dorsey and other tech executives visiting Baghdad, the merging of cell technology and the Internet looks like a potential leapfrog move in telecommunications for the country, much in the way cellphone networks lessen the need for traditional landline infrastructure. "We feel that there are some real opportunities here," said Jason Liebman, CEO and founder of Howcast, a website that offers how-to videos. (See the top 10 celebrity twitter feeds.)
Playing for Change
Quote:
Playing For Change is a movement to connect the world through music. Sign up for exclusive content, news and updates from hundreds of musicians and students around the globe at
http://playingforchange.com
This movement is Bono (from U2) using Bob Marley's work and incorporating artist from around the world.
One more...This is Audioslave playing in Cuba- look at the reaction of the crowd. When I see what others doing, it reminds me of the creativity and ingenuity of the OSS and others during WWII.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaaHX...eature=related
Just some indirect, non-military things to consider.
Social Media and Critical Thinking
GEN Dempsey,
Both the subject of your post, and that you posted it here, demonstrate the Army's commitment to the importance of leveraging collaboration, social media and Web 2.0 technologies.
A quick scan of the linked discussion thread at the Small Wars Journal clearly indicated anticipation and appreciation for the ability to observe, and perhaps even participate indirectly through providing questions, the upcoming Senior Leader Conference (SLC).
The remainder of my comments are not directly related to the SLC, rather this venue itself and my own personal observations.
I first saw your post a few hours after it was made, commenting to my colleagues that the TRADOC Commander posting on the CAC blogs was yet another indication of the Army's support for and embracement of collaboration. Returning to your post this afternoon, I was slightly surprised that no one else had taken the opportunity to respond and engage you. After all, how often does one get such an opportunity?
Notice I did not say "completely" surprised, but only "slightly" surprised. I attribute that lack of surprise to my experience observing Army Majors over the last eight years at CGSC (1 year as a student, followed by 7 years as an instructor). During that time, I personally noted a prevailing culture of "keep your head down & don't make waves." This is not only an anecdotal observation, but was supported by a custom designed critical thinking exercise I presented on more than a dozen occasions.
My decision to respond to your blog today prompted me to write up and document that exercise and the observed results. By no means is this the first time I shared the exercise, I frequently sent it to faculty members within my own department for their use if they chose to execute it. (Below my remarks I've provided links to the referenced presentation.)
I'm reminded of GEN Casey's remarks in June, via a video message, at the CGSC graduation. He explained how one of his former mentors taught him to carry an index card with one question:
-- When was the last time you allowed a subordinate to change your mind?
Upon hearing him say that, my ears perked up and I wrote it down. For what he said supported my own beliefs and the exercise I've been conducting for years. However, with all due respect to the CSA, I'd postulate that card needs to have a second question on it. And, perhaps, that second question may even be more pertinent and significant than the one he mentioned:
-- When was the last time a subordinate TRIED to change your mind?
I pose that question not as an indictment of any person's leadership style - certainly not that of the person holding the card or answering the question. Rather, I suggest that if the answer to my question is "rarely, if ever", there may be a prevailing cultural barrier preventing them from doing so.
V/R
Bob King
An Exercise in Critical Thinking - Thought Spray
Critical Thinking Exercise - Slideshare
Disclaimer: As I am no longer an Army CGSC instructor, I desire to make it clear that the above words are my own personal opinion, made on my own time and do not represent my current employer or sponsor.
IACP Center for Social Media
IACP Center for Social Media: Supporting the Needs of Law Enforcement Online
Quote:
In partnership with the
Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, the
IACP launched its
Center for Social Media in October 2010. The goal of the initiative is to build the capacity of law enforcement to use social media to prevent and solve crimes, strengthen police-community relations, and enhance services. IACP’s
Center for Social Media serves as a clearinghouse of information and no-cost resources to help law enforcement personnel develop or enhance their agency’s use of social media and integrate Web 2.0 tools into agency operations.
Al-Shabaab's use of modern media
Al-Shabaab has just begun to tweet heavily on its new twitter account. Details on my blog http://terrorisminafrica.com/2011/12...itter-account/
Al-Shabaab to Hold Online Q&A
Hat tip to London-based ICSR:
Quote:
Yesterday, the Somali Islamist militia al-Shabaab announced that it was taking questions from jihadi forum users for an ‘open meeting’ with its official spokesman, Sheikh Ali Dhere. The group will take questions via email and private forum messages until Saturday, at which point they will be answered by its spokesman in a video.
In a move which suggests a continuation of the burgeoning relationship between the Somali militia and al-Qaeda, the announcement by al-Shabaab’s al-Kataib Media Foundation was made through the Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF), al-Qaeda’s main jihadi media centre.
Later comments:
Quote:
Al-Shabaab’s intentions appear to be to fill the vacuum in the production of English-language jihadi propaganda left by the deaths of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula’s (AQAP) Anwar al-Awlaki and Samir Khan, who were the chief producers of these types of materials. In recent months, the group has released a number of English-language materials formulated specifically to recruit and insight Muslims in the West.
Such a course of action or perceived action is likely to increase US concern with the group, although I remain unconvinced that Al-Shabaab has the capability to reach faraway targets unlike AQAP who had the "Underpants" bomber and the photocopier plot.
Social Media and Unconventional Warfare
Social Media and Unconventional Warfare
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Read the full post and make any comments at the SWJ Blog.
This forum is a feed only and is closed to user comments.
Social Media and the Arab Spring
Social Media and the Arab Spring
Entry Excerpt:
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Read the full post and make any comments at the SWJ Blog.
This forum is a feed only and is closed to user comments.
How Social Media is Changing Conflict Reporting
A short commentary by John McCubbin, with a profound opener:
Quote:
the events of this past week have firmly pushed all military operations into a new era of information management and exploitation......This past week we have seen what I believe is a new chapter in how information is created, captured, analysed and used during high profile conflict situations.
Context gives way to timing:
Quote:
At 1429 on 14th November a tweet appeared on the IDF’s Twittter account announcing that they were about to commence operations. Two minutes later they tweeted about the strike against Hamas leader Ahmed Al-Jabari. Within the hour, also on Twitter, the Palestinian Al Qassam Brigade had acknowledged his death and by 1905 that evening the IDF had posted video footage of the strike on their blog and YouTube.
Link:http://i-logue.com/how-social-media-...ict-reporting/
Even with the Arab Spring and the Syrian Civil War as other examples, I do have doubts whether social media can have impact in remote areas, like Mali, or where one protagonist takes active measures to degrade the network that supports sending data.
There is a main thread 'Social Media and Unconventional Warfare' an dthis may one day be merged there:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ad.php?t=15367
Changes and countermeasures
John McCubbin has responded:
Quote:
You raised a couple of interesting issues in your post.
I noted your comments on remote areas. The impact on remote areas is certainly an issue as today. However, I have just spent some time with the NGO sector and the rate of change in these regions is staggering. On Internet access the greatest growth regions between 2000-2012 were Africa (3,606%), the Middle East (2,639%) and Latin America (1,310%). Penetration rates are skill low but these are dramatic changes. It is a similar story on mobile phone access with Africa and the Middle East growing by 104% last year. By the end of this year 65% of the population in Africa will have a mobile phone account. The NGOs are only just waking up to the impact of this and the military should also be thinking hard about what it means for special or expeditionary force ops.
The more worrying aspect is your second point on state interference and manipulation. Certainly in Iraq and today in Syria there is clear evidence of state intercept and psyops. I also suspect the number of times I have seen the IDF and Al Qassam Bde blogs going off-line over the past couple of days has been due to individual or state sponsored cyber dabbling. Identifying reliable in-country sources and getting them an encrypted satphone should be a key consideration, although even that has its risks.
Social Media Intelligence
Social Media Intelligence
Entry Excerpt:
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Read the full post and make any comments at the SWJ Blog.
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Demos: Policing in an Information_Age
Quote:
In this short paper, we summarise the key opportunities and difficulties social media presents for engagement, intelligence and enforcement. It is far from comprehensive and offers only an overview of each. Nevertheless, it seems to us that the police will now certainly need to use social media to engage with the public, collect intelligence, and investigate crime, both on- and offline. This needs new settlements – in doctrine, resource allocation, operation, capability, regulation and strategy – that allow it to be done in accordance with the principles at the heart of the British model of policing: legitimacy, accountability, visibility, compliance with the rule of law, proportionality, the minimal use of force and engagement with the public.
Link:http://www.demos.co.uk/files/DEMOS_P...pdf?1364295365
Generally I like the work by Demos, but remain unconvinced that there is much intelligence gain in social media. How much sense can be made amidst so much?
Police, Twitter and (Woolwich) major incidents
A summary of a recent Demos (UK think tank) report:
Quote:
the Twitter conversations between the Metropolitan Police and the public following the vicious murder of Drummer Lee Rigby in Woolwich.
Capacity is an issue when, astonishingly:
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...45% of the 19,344 tweets they analysed were produced by a single bot network...
It concludes:
Quote:
...this surge in social media interaction with police is obviously a mixed blessing; there is a small amount of potentially useful information included within a torrent of hearsay and rumour plus the inevitable general noise of people just participating in the #Twitcident without any particular motive.
It seems to me that there are two key social media challenges to police in the aftermath of major incidents:
To ensure that there is extra capacity to monitor social media accounts and ensure that accurate, timely and rumour busting information is sent out at regular intervals.
To have in place a sophisticated system to analyse tweets to provide intelligence and insight.
Link:http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=...&id=b60a7d789b
To actual Demos report:http://www.demos.co.uk/publications/metpoliceuk
What the Arab Spring Tells Us About the Future of Social Media in Revolutionary Movem
Media That (might not) Moves Millions
A fascinating FP reflective article on the power of social media; sub-titled:
Quote:
Social media may be protesters' favorite weapon, but new research on Syria's revolution shows it can do as much harm as good.
A taster:
Quote:
So what is the role and power of digital media in movements for peace and democracy? In contrast to three years ago, we have a lot more data and evidence now that we can use in trying to answer this question. And according to our research, the importance and uniformity of social media in these uprisings has been both overstated and vastly oversimplified.
Link:http://www.foreignpolicy.com/article...kraine_twitter