Quote Originally Posted by Bill Moore View Post
The evolution of globalization and information technology facilitates the ability to share information instantaneously around the globe in multiple forms. These messages frequently become memes that individuals identify with (note the recent criminal act in New Zealand). The power of information to shape the geopolitical space is profound. The 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) states “the rapidly accelerating spread of information is challenging the ability of some governments to control their populations and maintain civil order, while at the same time changing how wars are fought and aiding groups in mobilizing and organizing. It is this globalization of information that blurs the distinction between local and global affairs in the social, political, and economic spheres. Metcalfe’s Law indicates this geodigital space will increase in significance exponentially.

I think we have a fair understanding of how violent extremists leverage the digital environment to pursue their ends, which includes expanding their operational reach globally, or at least to the connected the portions of the world. We have only recently begun to appreciate how state actors compete in the geodigital domain. It is Net warfare in the 21st Century, but in traditional parlance, it is political warfare with new means (weaponizing the digital space).

The digital domain enables more than information/influence dominance, it will enable economic dominance, and perhaps security dominance. Collectively this unfortunate, because it has so much promise to change the world for the better. Norming the use of the digital domain globally is desirable, but I question if it is possible?
I believe the voluntary reach of commercial network platforms, if working in granular partnership with government, could be easily pushed beyond just majority and towards ubiquity with preferential treatment towards specific commercial networks and diplomatic/political/legislative nudging behaviours.

Expanding hybrid digital network influence across international borders may be achieved using the same political, economic, and diplomatic TTPs as One Belt, One Road.

However, I very much believe coercive debt trap diplomacy only gets a network so far.

A competitive value proposition is still required.

For both “citizen users” to enhance their opportunity as well as “sovereign government users” to enhance their continuity.

Just in the last two weeks, Italy became the first Group of Seven or NATO country to sign up to China’s One Belt, One Road initiative along with Germany’s decision to NOT ban Huawei 5G from Germany’s next gen network are both related to my argument of a possible One Platform, One Network future.

I’m left thinking that the US is currently facing a much more dangerous digital analog to the Trans-Siberian Pipeline Crisis where President Reagan placed considerable political pressure on some of the US’s closest allies to disrupt Soviet economic opportunity and political leverage.

Creating, capturing, distributing, and monetising economic value.

But I see it working as a velvet gloved, iron fist.

An economic hand up, combined with a political punch in the face if you oppose it.

Global economic, political, and social “networkism” with Chinese characteristics.

I don’t view the possibility as a singular dominant network/platform, but I do see it as having potential to be the world’s largest.

But my concern is that instead of seeing some form of Cold War-esque balance, equilibrium, or homeostasis we may see Zipf’s Law apply with vastly uneven distribution between the most commonly used network and the 2nd most commonly used network.