The Weaponization of Social Media

actor to access and use, due to the democratisation of technology that the
Information and Communication Technology revolution is facilitating,
and because you can create effects that are disproportionate in relation to
the investment. Effects that support the goals and objectives of the multiple
actors “fighting” in the social network media sphere, including influencing
perceptions of what is going on, can, in turn, inform decision-making and
behaviours of relevant actors. Due to the global connectivity that social
network media provides, the actors are no longer just direct participants
to conflict. They can be whoever, civilians and activists included desires to
create effects. This is also why terms as “remote warfare” and “social warfare”
play an increasing role in contemporary conflicts, where social network
media is now used for military activities. These activities are, but not limited
to, Intelligence Collection, Targeting, Psychological Warfare, Offensive and
Defensive Cyber-Operations and Command and Control activities.
The increasing strategic uses of social network media, and the effects
achievable in and through the use of them, empower a multitude of actors
and have a re-distributive effect on international power relations. This also
affects the character of contemporary conflicts.
This development is clearly demonstrated in several contemporary
conflicts such as in Libya, Syria, counter-insurgency operations in Iraq
and Afghanistan and, lately, the conflict in Ukraine. They indicate that
social network media and the cyber domain have framed past strategies
and actions, and are likely to do so in future conflicts as well. There is also
a visible trend of social network media being used for creating strategic
effect in contemporary conflicts, which therefore to a higher and higher
degree is to be seen as an “instrument of power”, not least by non-state
actors 2 but by states as well. It is therefore as a result necessary to appreciate
the potential game-changing properties of social network media in today’s
global information environment in all policy, strategy formulation and
operational planning.
There is, however, a much broader aspect to consider as well. Social network
media technologies are pervasive and have an impact on every aspect of
our lives. Issues such as security, privacy, terrorism and activism, and even
(2) Actor: person or organisation, including state and non-state entities, within
the international system with the capability or desire to influence others in pursuit
of its interests and objectives. (Source: NATO MC Position on the use of effects in
operations (MCM-0041-2010), 20 July 2010, NATO UNCLASSIFIED, page 1-3)
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