Thread by @HeatherMoAndCo

Given everything that’s been happening in the world, I think it’s time to revisit the subject of #ActiveMeasures.

Not just for Soviets anymore.

A 🧵.

#USpoli #cdnpoli #UKPolitics #EUpolitics #nzpol #auspoI #Brexit

When the Kremlin launched its weaponization of social media prior to 🇺🇸 2016 election, there was great concern that other malignant actors would quickly adopt these techniques.

They did.

Now, not only state-actor operations, but for-hire malign influence operations are reaching epidemic proportions as well, in countries around the world. (nytimes.com/2021/07/25/wor…) #disinformation #propaganda #ActiveMeasures

What is meant by “Active Measures”? It’s a term coined to describe political warfare developed by the Soviet Union starting in the 1920s. But the techniques live on & have evolved.

It describes an array of operations.
In a nutshell they include….

#disinformation #InfoOps

•#Disinformation & propaganda, both of which take advantage of free speech laws & social media, making it difficult to combat. There’s also laundering of information through paid PR firms & lobbying groups, masking who is really funding an operation.

#Facebook #Twitter

•Deployment of #cyberweapons: Intrusion & hacking, cyber-attacks, malware, stolen personal info, etc.

•Political influence. Forming relationships with political figures, influential people, media personalities, policy makers, people who hold sway in targeted jurisdictions.

•Campaign finance: using straw donors, including donations disguised as “individual donations”, as a means to funnel money outside of campaign finance laws. Funneling foreign money to the campaigns of politicians who will cooperate with the agenda of the donor. #DarkMoney

The exploitation of social media has accelerated not just Russian #ActiveMeasures, but all forms of malign influence operations. Saudi Arabia, China, UAE, Israel, Iran & so on, in addition to non-state actors & proxy groups.

#KochNetwork #ALEC #Mercers #IDU

@mikercarpenter, summarized 3 main types of these influence operations: #InfoOps, elite infiltration & destabilizing operations.
Elite infiltration of large media corporations include seeking relationships with media personalities with sizeable followings. (#TuckerCarlson?)

Further reading for those interested:

gmfus.org/publications/c…

justsecurity.org/64327/counteri…

foreignpolicy.com/2019/08/12/8-w…

amp.theatlantic.com/amp/article/55…

csis.org/features/kreml…