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Information Operations

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Information operations and warfare, also known as influence operations, includes the collection of tactical information about an adversary as well as the dissemination of propaganda in pursuit of a competitive advantage over an opponent. RAND research has enabled military leaders and policymakers to develop strategies and policy frameworks to address the challenges of these military operations.

Report
Russia's Evolving Use of Information Confrontation
Information confrontation is the use of offensive or defensive informational means to achieve political, economic, or military objectives. Russian strategy likens information weapons with weapons of mass destruction since both have the potential to reshape the international system. The Ukraine experience offers insights into Russia's tactics.
Aug 18, 2022
Commentary
Could K-Pop Help Deter Kim Jong-un's Provocations?
The United States and Republic of Korea could be more specific and creative in seeking to deter Kim Jong-un. The global popularity of K-Pop could be part of the strategy.
Oct 11, 2022

Explore Information Operations

Report
Chinese Disinformation Efforts on Social Media
The authors identify key Chinese practices and the supporting infrastructure and conditions that successful social media disinformation campaigns require, concluding that China is using Taiwan as a test bed for developing attack vectors.
Jul 19, 2021
Report
Combating Foreign Disinformation on Social Media
Disinformation campaigns on social media pose a nuanced threat. But much of the U.S. response remains ad hoc and uncoordinated. It's unclear who has the edge moving forward, because disinformation techniques and countermeasures are evolving simultaneously.
Jul 19, 2021
Journal Article
Understanding and Pursuing Information Advantage
This article tries to unpack the concept of "information advantage" and explore what it might mean and how it should be thought about by the U.S. Army and the joint force more broadly.
Jul 6, 2021
Blog
Sexual Assault in the Military, School Security, Mental Health Care: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on the risk of sexual assault to sexual minorities in the U.S. military, making treatment more accessible to people struggling with opioid addiction, countering Russian propaganda, and more.
Jun 4, 2021
Report
Countering Russian and Other State-Sponsored Propaganda
Since the Russian propaganda campaign that targeted the 2016 U.S. presidential election, researchers have penned a trove of reports that offer recommendations for countering such efforts. To help policymakers and others, RAND experts produced a compendium that divides these recommendations into various categories.
Jun 1, 2021
Report
Deciphering Chinese Deterrence Signalling in the New Era
China is changing its approach to deterrence signalling in Xi Jinping's 'new era' as it leverages growing military capabilities and the availability of new communication channels. How can Australia, the United States, and other countries better decipher Chinese deterrence signalling in this new era?
May 27, 2021
Journal Article
Exploring Chinese Military Thinking on Social Media Manipulation Against Taiwan
This article addresses a gap in the current policy discussion, provides evidence of Chinese military planning for covert manipulation of Taiwanese social media, and explores how its interest in and tactics for social media manipulation have evolved over time.
May 19, 2021
Journal Article
Borrowing a Boat Out to Sea: The Chinese Military's Use of Social Media for Influence Operations
The Chinese military is positioning itself as one of the leading actors for hostile Chinese influence operations on social media. The PLA uses social media for covert hostile political interference operations targeting foreign countries.
May 14, 2021
Journal Article
Cognitive Domain Operations: The PLA's New Holistic Concept for Influence Operations
As information becomes ever more central for Chinese warfighting, the People's Liberation Army is developing a new concept for psychological warfare in the information era called "cognitive domain operations."
May 14, 2021
Report
New Model Helps Predict Cyber Threats and Improve Resilience
Today's evolving cyber threats require a tailored and targeted approach to cybersecurity. Current defenses focus on managing threats after a network has been breached. RAND's Scalable Warning and Resilience Model (SWARM) can help defenders proactively protect their systems through early warning of cyber incidents before they occur.
May 11, 2021
Blog
COVID-19 Disinformation, Biden's Address, Leaving Afghanistan: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on Russian and Chinese campaigns to spread malign and subversive information on COVID-19, President Biden's address to Congress, the planned U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, and more.
Apr 30, 2021
Report
Machine Learning Can Detect Online Conspiracy Theories
As social media platforms work to prevent malicious or harmful uses of their services, an improved model of machine-learning technology can detect and understand conspiracy theory language. Insights from this modeling effort can help counter the effects of online conspiracies.
Apr 29, 2021
Report
Russia and China: Superspreaders of Malign and Subversive Information on COVID-19
Both Russia and China targeted Americans with malign and subversive information campaigns related to the pandemic. What can these campaigns teach us about future information operations from Moscow and Beijing?
Apr 29, 2021
Blog
Understanding Violent Extremism, 'Blockships,' VMT Fee: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on firsthand accounts of violent extremism, lessons from the recent blockage in the Suez Canal, and if a federal Vehicle Miles Travel fee could replace the gas tax.
Apr 2, 2021
Commentary
Towards an AI-Based Counter-Disinformation Framework
Artificial intelligence is being used to develop sophisticated malign information on social media. But AI also provides opportunities to strengthen responses to these threats and can foster wider resilience to disinformation.
Mar 29, 2021
Report
PSAs Might Prevent Foreign Disinformation from Taking Hold
Tests with focus groups suggest that Americans are vulnerable to Russian-made memes. The participants responded positively to a public service announcement about foreign election interference, especially after they learned that they had just viewed content from Russia designed to breed dissension.
Mar 29, 2021
Report
Pro-Ukraine Activists on Twitter Can Help Counter Russian Influence
Many pro-Ukraine activists surveyed on Twitter support the United States and the European Union and oppose Russia and its influence on Ukraine. They have used Twitter—and other social media and offline channels—to help counter Russian influence. Half said they would be open to receiving social media training.
Mar 24, 2021
Journal Article
The Evolution of Special Operations as a Model for Information Forces
This article draws an analogy between special operations and information forces and suggests the history and evolution of SOF could serve as a model and provide lessons for the development of information forces.
Feb 19, 2021
Blog
The Most Popular RAND Research of 2020
Here are the RAND research projects that resonated most in 2020, a year unlike any in living memory. Topics include remote learning, election disinformation, income inequality, and more.
Dec 21, 2020
Research Brief
Improving Intelligence Support for Operations in the Information Environment
Challenges to effective intelligence support for operations in the information environment (OIE) can be addressed by improving processes, prioritizing support for OIE, training and educating personnel, and optimally allocating personnel.
Dec 9, 2020

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RAND Topic:
Information Operations

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