1. Psyops and Perception Management

2. CSCE 727 - Farkas2 Perception Management Information operations that aim to affect perception of others to influence – Emotions – Reasoning – Decisions – Actions Related to Psychological Operations Influence behavior by affecting human Psyche (fear, desire, logic, etc.)

3. Injecting Content into Target’s Information Space Targeted population Communication medium – Any medium that can be exploited – Face-to-face, print, telecommunication, internet, etc. – Real time, broad audience (television, video, etc.) CSCE 727 - Farkas3

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5. 5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZjykPITuq0

6. CSCE 727 - Farkas6

7. 7 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)

8. CSCE 727 - Farkas8 Covert Total secrecy: details or even the existence of activities are confidential Unaccounted: actions are public knowledge but government involvement is concealed Goal: direct furthering of national foreign policy objectives Wide range of activities: – Radio Free Europe, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Free_Europ e/Radio_Liberty http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Free_Europ e/Radio_Liberty

9. CSCE 727 - Farkas9 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

10. CSCE 727 - Farkas10 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), https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of- intelligence/csi-publications/csi- studies/studies/vol49no1/html_files/harry_dexter_8.htm l https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of- intelligence/csi-publications/csi- studies/studies/vol49no1/html_files/harry_dexter_8.htm l

11. CSCE 727 - Farkas11 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

12. CSCE 727 - Farkas12 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”

13. CSCE 727 - Farkas13 Perception of Foreign Society Hard to measure Cumulative effect over long period of time Agents of Influence – Interact with public – journalists, TV commentator, etc. – Prominent person – political figure, aid organization, etc. Culture

14. CSCE 727 - Farkas14 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

15. CSCE 727 - Farkas15 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

16. Global vs. Local Propaganda US WW I. posters, http://www.firstworldwar.com/posters/usa.htm http://www.firstworldwar.com/posters/usa.htm US WW II posters, http://www.allposters.com/-st/World- War-II-Propaganda-Vintage-Art-Posters_c50710_.htmhttp://www.allposters.com/-st/World- War-II-Propaganda-Vintage-Art-Posters_c50710_.htm Chinese posters, Cultural Revolution, http://chineseposters.net/gallery/theme-07.php http://chineseposters.net/gallery/theme-07.php CSCE 727 - Farkas16

17. CSCE 727 - Farkas17 Offensive Operations Information Space Communication Medium: any (TV, radio, Internet, Web sites, e-mail, news groups, etc.) Target: individuals, groups, nations, World

18. CSCE 727 - Farkas18 Internet Global Access – mass audiences Easy to set up Web sites Low cost (compare with broadcasting radio, TV, etc.) “great equalizer” Authority over Internet?

19. CSCE 727 - Farkas19 Tools for Perception Management In War and Anti-War by Alvin and Heidi Toffler: 1. Atrocity accusations (true or false) 2. Hyperbolic inflation of stakes 3. Demonization and/or dehumanization of enemy 4. Polarization (if you are not with me, you are against me) 5. Claim of divine sanction 6. Meta-propaganda (discredit opponent’s propaganda)

20. CSCE 727 - Farkas20 Psyops Affect human psyche – Goal: influence behavior – Means: fear, desire, logic, etc.

21. CSCE 727 - Farkas21 From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Egri_no_.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Egri_no_.jpg

22. CSCE 727 - Farkas22 Lies and Distortions Widely used Destroys the integrity of the carrying media Cultural Differences? Ethical/unethical? Bad/Useful? Digital media – Fabrication, spoofed originator, modification, etc. – Easy to carry out – Trust in observation (senses: see, hear, touch, taste, etc.)

23. CSCE 727 - Farkas23 Distortion Distort information Conscious/Unconscious Important elements ignored, down played Insignificant elements made to appear important Digital media: – Web page metatags: hidden data

24. CSCE 727 - Farkas24 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

25. CSCE 727 - Farkas25 Hoaxes Fabrications to – Amuse – Create fear – Discredit/damage Digital media: – Easy to send hoax mail or post information – Virus hoaxes

26. CSCE 727 - Farkas26 Social Engineering Trick people into doing something they would not do if the truth is known. Means: – Impersonating – Threatening – Pretend position/relationship/urgency/etc.

27. CSCE 727 - Farkas27 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

28. CSCE 727 - Farkas28 Harassment Targets opponent directly Unwanted, threatening messages Communication: in person, via medium Examples: – Physical threat – Hate mails – Sexual harassment

29. CSCE 727 - Farkas29 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

30. CSCE 727 - Farkas30 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