Commentary
Spot analysis from Carnegie scholars on events relating to the Middle East and North Africa.
Michael Young
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Source: Getty
Other
How Do You Define a Problem Like Influence?
While increasing media coverage is dedicated to how information is used to influence target audiences, a common terminology for describing these activities is lacking.
Published on Dec 30, 2019
Source: Journal of Information Warfare
Abstract
While increasing media coverage is dedicated to how information is used to influence target audiences, a common terminology for describing these activities is lacking. This paper offers a literature review of terms currently used by industry, government, and media related to influence operations; analyses the challenges posed by many of these definitions for use in practical policy development; and ultimately argues for a broader definition of such.
This article is part of a special issue of the Journal of Information Warfare. The issue was arranged to support the launch of the Partnership for Countering Influence Operations. The seven articles in this special issue explore the phenomenon of influence operations (IO) as it has developed in recent years and make a modest but important contribution to forwarding the international debate on IO. Drawing on a mixture of conceptual, empirical, and policy-oriented approaches, the authors represent a range of academic disciplines, methodologies, and perspectives. Far from being the final word, it is hoped that the articles in this collection will stimulate and stake out future directions for further research. For more information, please click here.
About the Authors
Alicia Wanless
Senior Fellow, Technology and International Affairs, Director, Information Environment Project
Alicia is the director of the Information Environment Project and the author of The Information Animal: Humans, Technology and the Competition for Reality. Alicia was a technical advisor to the Aspen Institute’s Commission on Information Disorder and is a founding member of its Global Cybersecurity Group.
James Pamment
Former Nonresident Scholar, Technology and International Affairs Program
James Pamment was a nonresident scholar in the Technology and International Affairs Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
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