Science & Tech

What Does Musk's Purchase of Twitter Mean for Disinformation?

His free-speech values could undermine the site's efforts to stem foreign influence operations.

Ideas

The Pentagon Must ‘Campaign’ Against China, Not Hope for a Goal-Line Stand

To dissuade aggression, the U.S. military must continuously persuade its adversaries to doubt their chances of success.

Ideas

How Strategic Messaging Can Help Turn Putin Around

Cracks in the Russian leader's popular support can be deepened with careful appeals to the nation’s history and sense of greatness.

Ideas

The US Needs a Center to Counter Foreign Malign Influence at Home

National security entities coordinate their fight against disinformation abroad. They need a way to do so within our borders.

Science & Tech

Putin Lost the Digital War Abroad. Will He Lose at Home?

Its diplomatic efforts in tatters, its agencies beset by cyber vigilantes, the Russian government is still choking off the information that fuels its homegrown protest movement.

Science & Tech

Ukraine Braces for Sharper Russian Cyber Attacks

Kyiv recruits "IT Army," receives satellite terminals. But worse is to come, says Senate intel committee chair.

Science & Tech

Kremlin Cracks Down Harder on Media, Facebook as Protests Sweep Russia

Citizens “have a certain amount of capacity to express themselves, but it’s narrowing,” one observer says

Threats

In an Information War, Be Careful What You Amplify

An announcement about an annual Russian reserve-forces exercise has some people speculating unhelpfully.

Science & Tech

US Companies Warned to Prepare for Russian Cyber Attacks

DOJ’s Lisa Monaco warns industry to harden defenses; Ukraine’s foreign weapons systems are a likely target for Russian hackers.

Threats

Just Whom Would a Russian 'False Flag' Operation Seek to Convince?

Russians themselves are likely the main target of the recent crescendo of disinformation, mostly from Moscow-backed separatists in Ukraine.

Ideas

Why the US Ramped Up Its Information War With Russia

Pre-buttals may become a standard part of the American playbook.

Ideas

‘War Is Coming’: Mysterious TikTok Videos Are Scaring Sweden’s Children

The campaign offers an early test for the country’s new anti-disinformation agency.

Exclusive Science & Tech

Common Office Desk Phone Could Be Leaking Info to Chinese Government, Report Alleges

Phones by Yealink have been observed sending encrypted messages to Chinese servers three times a day.

Ideas

2021 Top Ten: Ideas

The intertwined need to confront China and climate change, turning the tables on Russian psyops, and more.

Ideas

Bear, Meet Porcupine: Unconventional Deterrence for Ukraine

By "going porcupine," Ukraine can make it clear to Russia that invasion will be costly and unsuccessful. But Kyiv needs help.

Science & Tech

One Social-Media ‘Like’ Doesn’t Say Much About a Potential Extremist

Data from open-source social media is generally only helpful in combination with other information.

Ideas

Trollfare: How to Recognize and Fight Off Online Psyops

It starts by understanding common tactics: distort, distract, dismiss, deny, and dismay.

Ideas

Waiting for Attribution in Cyberspace: A Tragicomedy

“We were so hopeful last March when the UN Open-Ended Working Group agreed to endorse all 11 of us voluntary, non-binding norms of responsible state behavior.”