Psyops and Perception Management

1. Psyops and Perception Management

2. Reading List • This class and next: • Denning Chapters 5, 6 • A review of FBI Security Programs, http://www.usdoj.gov/05publications/websterreport.pdf (Intro, conclusion) • Insider threat to security may be harder to detect, experts say, http://www.computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/story/0,10801,70112,00.html • Treason 101, http://rf-web.tamu.edu/security/secguide/Treason/Intro.htm#Treason%20101

3. Project • Project proposal: 2-3 pages, double spaced, 11 pt. Turn in hard copy of the proposal in class. • Main area of the proposed project • Goal of the project and importance of the goal • Initial list of relevant materials • Your qualification for making the project successful The aim of the research paper is that you gain understanding of a specific topic in Information Warfare, and identify future directions of the field. Try to answer questions like “Are the current legislations sufficient to address IW topic?”, “How national and international law and policy deals with topic …?”, “Is the current technology used effectively to address IW problem …?”, etc. Be careful not to try to do too much, which will result in lower quality work. Aim for correctness, and understanding of the chosen topic. • Due date: February 16, 2009 • Groups • Web site

4. Homework 2 Perception Management • Present: Explain how perception management techniques have changed during the last 30 years due to IT revolution. Pick a specific area, e.g., deception, propaganda, etc., to explain new methods. • Past: Describe 1 techniques of perception management used by B. Obama and J. McCain during the presidential campaign. Write a hypothetical scenario how Theodore Roosevelt (President 1901-1909) may have attempted to reach the same objective. • Future: Analyze a future scenarios of perception management and IT development. Due: February 16, 2009

5. Perception Management • Information operations that aim to affect perception of others to influence • Emotions • Reasoning • Decisions • Actions

6. Covert Action • “…attempt by one government to pursue its foreign policy objectives by conducting some secret activity to influence the behavior of a foreign government or political, military, economic, or societal events and circumstances in a foreign country.” (Silent Warfare)

7. Covert • Total secrecy: details or even the existence of activities are confidential • Unaccounted; actions are public knowledge, government involvement is concealed • Goal: direct furthering of national foreign policy objectives • Wide range of activities: • Today’s topic: perception management

8. Perception of a Foreign Government • Goal: change foreign government’s policy to support offense’s political interest • Influence • Foreign government’s perception • Perceptions of elements of foreign society

9. Agents of Influence • Influence directly government policy • Data collection is not necessary • Persuade colleagues to adopt certain policies • E.g., government officials • 1930-40s: Soviet intelligence agents working for U.S. government (Harry Dexter White – Assistant Secretary of the Dept. of Treasury) • 1976: in France Pierre-Charles Pathe founded Synthese (political newsletter). 1979: convicted for espionage and being an agent of influence.

10. Agent of Influence • Trusted contact – willing to work for a foreign government, no detailed instructions, not paid • Controlled agent – receives precise instructions, usually paid • Manipulated agent – unaware of serving a foreign government

11. Use of Information and Disinformation • Providing information (or misinformation) • Influence a desired action • E.g., revealing identities of opponents’ intelligence agents • Origin of information • Sender of information • Misinformation • Plausible • “silent forgery” • “deception operation”

12. Perception of Foreign Society • Hard to measure • Cumulative effect over long period of time • Agents of Influence • Reach public – journalists, TV commentator, etc. • Prominent person – political figure, aid organization, etc. • Culture

13. Unattributed Propaganda • “Black” propaganda: origin is concealed • Disseminating opinions, information or misinformation via media • Government may not be directly associated with materials • Increase believability • Government may not want to be associated with certain opinions

14. Unattributed Propaganda • “Gray” propaganda: origin not public knowledge • E.g., Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty • Information about targets’ own countries • Information about the West • Set up as private U.S. organizations but were run by CIA • Planting stories in independent news media

15. Offensive Operations • Information Space • Communication Medium: any (TV, radio, Internet, Web sites, e-mail, news groups, etc.) • Target: individuals, groups, nations, World

16. Internet • Global Access – mass audiences • Easy to set up Web sites • Low cost (compare with broadcasting radio, TV, etc.) • “great equalizer” • Authority over Internet?

17. Tools for Perception Management • In War and Anti-War by Alvin and Heidi Toffler: • Atrocity accusations • Hyperbolic inflations • Demonization and/or dehumanization • Polarization • Claim of divine sanction • Meta-propaganda

18. Psyops • Affect human psyche • Goal: influence behavior • Means: fear, desire, logic, etc.

19. Lies and Distortions • Widely used • Destroys the integrity of the carrying media • Ethical/unethical? • Bad/Useful? • Digital media • Fabrication, spoofed originator, modification, etc. • Easy to carry out • Trust in observation (senses: see, hear, touch, taste, etc.)

20. Distortion • Distort information • Conscious/Unconscious • Important elements ignored, down played • Insignificant elements made to appear important • Digital media: • Web page metatags: hidden data

21. Fabrication • Fake information • Must seem legitimate • Goal: influence decision/activities of enemy or competition, financial gain, popularity, etc. • Can be very effective • Must know target • Errors and intentional fabrications

22. Hoaxes • Fabrications to • Amuse • Create fear • Discredit/damage • Digital media: • Easy to send hoax mail or post information • Virus hoaxes

23. Social Engineering • Trick people into doing something they would not do if the truth is known. • Means: • Impersonating • Threatening • Pretend position/relationship/urgency/etc.

24. Denouncement • Discredit, defame, demonize, or dehumanize an opponent • Goal: gain of support for the entity performing the denouncement and loss for the adversary • Military/politics/economy/personal • Hate groups • Conspiracy theory • Defamation: damage the reputation and good name of another

25. Harassment • Targets opponent directly • Unwanted, threatening messages • Communication: in person, via medium • Examples: • Physical threat • Hate mails • Sexual harassment

26. Advertising • Scam: cone artists lure customers into scam • Fake prizes, telemarketing, etc. • Internet: easy solicitations – junk e-mail, chat room, newsgroups, Web site, etc. • Spam: junk e-mail • Time consuming: read/process/delete • Unwanted/useless/harmful data

27. Censorship • Offensive: denies population access to certain materials • Defensive: protect society from materials that would undermine its culture or governance • Internet: makes censorship difficult • Children Internet Protection Act, 2000 (http://www.ifea.net/cipa.html , http://www.cybertelecom.org/cda/cipa.htm ) • Free speech online • Electronic Frontier Foundation http://www.eff.org/br/ • http://www.anu.edu.au/mail-archives/link/link9810/0378.html

28. United State Restrictions • First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States: freedom of speech and press • Exception: child pornography, offensive and harmful speech, obscene material, etc. • Materials depicting violence ? • 1996: Communications Decency Act (US congress) • Indecent material – restricting access to minors • Controversial – civil liberties groups • 1997: Supreme Court ruled that CDA sections 223 and 224 abridged First Amendment rights