BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

WEAPONIZATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND NATIONAL SECURITY

Author: Ayesha Binte Towhid

DOI Link: https://www.doi.org/10.56888/BIISSj2019v40n4a3

ABSTRACT

In the age of information, social media has emerged as an exponential source of power for people and for the states. In contemporary times, the use of these platforms by the states and state-backed actors have gained prominence in the security studies discourse. As part of the changing character of warfare and foreign intervention, the states have been in the quest of innovative, effective and convenient ways to exert influence and to achieve political and strategic goals. Social media turned out to be an effective tool for this, as several features of social media applications made it possible to reach and target people, communities and institutions of another country instantly, affordably and in a very concealable manner. This opportunity instigated the states and statebacked agencies to weaponize social media for sponsoring information warfare or influence operations in the target states. The present paper analyzes how the use of social media in Russian information warfare against the United States (US), Europe and Africa, and Iran’s operations in the US, United Kingdom (UK), Latin America and the Middle East affected the critical political and social institutions, manipulated public opinions, and challenged the territorial integrity and ideologies. It also infers a connection between the evolving weaponization of social media and national security to understand how a country can use social media to threaten the national security of another country.