TechLetters Insight. Foreign information operations and interference. It's often best to ignore things.

I am evaluating the second report on foreign information manipulation and interference incidents, authored by the EU External Action Service. This year, the report finally acknowledges a critical consideration. Some information incidents are better ignored because they are not a problem. Otherwise, there's a risk of spreading someone else's lines by amplifying the content! There is little point in blowing things out of proportion.

“Ignore: While it may be tempting to directly confront manipulated information, doing so can inadvertently increase the damage. The evaluation of the likely risk and impact of the response can lead to the conclusion that any reactive response should be avoided. This non-reactive strategy should be complemented by other proactive measures that help to improve situational awareness and build resilience.”

Basing on real events is the standard

EU services identified 750 incidents of foreign information manipulation and interference. "21.3% of incidents seized on the already existing attention around events such as summits, elections, emergencies". Such a strategy is effective. The reason for this is that people are interested in real events, they are sometimes in search of such information. Jumping on the bandwagon of real events can be an aid to the interference of the information space. It also means that the lines of interference are (at least partly) based on the truth, and basing propaganda on the truth is very often the best way to achieve an information effect.

But ignoring informational incidents is not always the way forward. Sometimes action is needed. Actions can be taken before the event (preparation, for example by adopting appropriate laws or codes of use, terms of service, etc.), during the event (such as containment, removal, etc.) and after the event (monitoring the development, spreading debunking messages).

AI is not used in disinformation

The report finds the obvious: the use of AI in disinformation and interference is minimal, almost non-existent. This is a reminder to be wary of the hype around the risks of artificial intelligence. Just because there may be a potential for use, does not mean there will be use today. What may be the future is not today.

Anybody can become a target

It also highlights that almost any organisation or political institution can expect hostile activity at their own events at moments of high visibility. Companies, NATO, EU, government, educational institutions, politicians, political parties, politicians, journalists - you name it. It all depends on what someone else wants to achieve.

Cyber-enabled information operations

Finally, it is rightly recognised that cyber attacks and theft of data can take place months in advance of an election. In order to gather data which is useful for potentially compromise operations. We've seen this many times, if just before the 2016 US election, or before the 2017 French election, or before the 2023 Polish election, or...