Memes That Kill: The Future Of Information Warfare (a happy Monday morning read with great graphics)

[swag]

https://www.cbinsights.com/research/future-of-information-warfare/

Memes and social networks have become weaponized, while many governments seem ill-equipped to understand the new reality of information warfare. How will we fight state-sponsored disinformation and propaganda in the future?

In 2011, a university professor with a background in robotics presented an idea that seemed radical at the time.
After conducting research backed by DARPA — the same defense agency that helped spawn the internet — Dr. Robert Finkelstein proposed the creation of a brand new arm of the US military, a “Meme Control Center.”

In internet-speak the word “meme” often refers to an amusing picture that goes viral on social media. More broadly, however, a meme is any idea that spreads, whether that idea is true or false. It is this broader definition of meme that Finklestein had in mind when he proposed the Meme Control Center and his idea of “memetic warfare.”

Fast forward seven years, and Dr. Finklestein’s ideas don’t seem radical at all. Instead, they seem farsighted. The 2016 US presidential election was shaped by a volatile mix of fake news, foreign meddling, doctored images, massive email leaks, and even a cartoon meme (Pepe the Frog). Not to mention a conservative news site called Infowars.

It no longer seems silly to say that the future of warfare isn’t on the battlefield, but on our screens and in our minds.

. . . more

[malaise]

1. This needs to be seen

Get thee to the greatest page

[bronxiteforever]

2. Kick and recommend.

[dalton99a]

3. That's how Putin operates.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

4. K&FuckingR!

[S.E. TN Liberal]

5. Propaganda works...

Why else would corporations keep spending billions of dollars advertising everything from laundry soap to trucks?

The difficulty Liberals have is; while we are smart enough, (generally), to distinguish between honest and dishonest propaganda, the reich-wingers have a mental disposition to believe the false stories with a religious-like fervor.

The reich-wing cannot distinguish the truth and they cannot be educated to overcome their mental limitations.

[Uncle Joe]

6. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, swag.

[blondebanshee]

7. K&R! Thanks for sharing swag!

We are so screwed!

[malthaussen]

8. Advertisers have done this for years.

So have propagandists. The strategy has a long history, the only variant is the technique.

-- Mal

[Wounded Bear]

9. The price of freedom is constant vigilance...

Source of quote is debatable, but the truth of it is not.

[Garrett78]

10. "eroding society's trust in institutions"

And that right there is what unites Putin and Republicans. Eroding society's trust in institutions (while promoting super-individualism) has been the goal of Republicans for the last 50 years.

[cp]

11. K&R

[catbyte]

12. K&R

[dae]

13. KnRnBookmarked

[Glorfindel]

14. K&R n/t

[TomVilmer]

15. And back to the battlefields - West Point is making comics about cyber war

The U.S. Army seeks to prevent strategic surprise by anticipating and adapting to future capabilities and vulnerabilities in four new fictional stories called Operation Dark Hammer.



West Point has removed these comics from their web page for unknown reasons, but they can still be read at their developer: Threatcasting

[NBachers]

18. I read 'em all - Thanks for the link.

[Hugin]

16. An understanding of how this works is critical in defusing misinformation campaigns.

Think about what you're reading and being exposed to via the networks. Noting the manipulation of reality can occasionally be very subtle and incremental.

[thbobby]

17. We are concentrating on wrong threat

Propaganda is nothing new. As others have said, advertisers have done it for years. The Roman Catholic Church freaked out about the printing press and the bible being in print. The Nazis used radio to spread propaganda in WWII era. MSM is corporate controlled and disseminates bullshit.

America has the ability to fight this war and win it. The real problem is people not participating in Democracy. Our voter turnout rate is pathetic. If Americans do not care enough to vote, we probably are doomed. The threat of information warfare is legitimate, but it has been used throughout history.

The real threats to democracy are substandard education and people not voting. This is what we need to fight about and win. Educate and vote. The founding fathers knew this and we need to concentrate on these threats. Propaganda will influence the ignorant and they vote. Will we?

[aggiesal]

19. How about shutting down ...

information centers to limit the spread of actual stories.

This happened to DU on election night.

We couldn't share our experiences during the election to inform
any odd instances at the voting booth.

You think that was by accident?

[BobTheSubgenius]

20. The difference between the propaganda array today,

and Goebbels' Ministry of Propaganda is similar to the difference between that era's ME 109's and F-15's.

Bigger, "better", faster, stronger, more.