13 Information Newsletter PDF Download

The purpose of this research, broadly speaking, is to expose the threat that fake news poses to our national security. This thesis answers the question: Can the information laundering model, or a modified version of it, be used to explain how the internet is exploited to spread fake news, and the resulting threat to the United States? I assert that a well-crafted narrative, whether true or false, can be spread rapidly online due to the accessibility and interconnectedness of the internet ecosystem. I then articulate how these narratives can be further accelerated and disseminated when propagandists take advantage of existing processes that improve the customization, ease of access, and availability of information online. I do this by modifying the information laundering model, and then using the new model to examine the interconnectedness of search engines, blogs, social networking platforms, and media/academic outlets, and how these connections can be exploited to launder false or purposefully misleading information into public discourse. Finally, I demonstrate how this process allows adversarial nations, criminals, and malicious actors to increase public discord, undermine democracy, and threaten Americans physical and cognitive security. Contains the following studies: 1. Fake News, Conspiracy Theories, and Lies: An Information Laundering Model for Homeland Security 2. THE COMMAND OF THE TREND: SOCIAL MEDIA AS A WEAPON IN THE INFORMATION AGE 3. PUTIN’S PROPAGANDA WAR: IS HE WINNING? 4. Cyber-Terrorism and Cyber-Crime: There Is a Difference 5. CYBERDETERRANCE IN 2035: REDEFINING THE FRAMEWORK FOR SUCCESS 6. Countering Russian Active Measures