Social media, a weapon of intelligence warfare

The essence of social media is to spread information. The increasing management of perception and social interaction in social media proves that it has become a tool of warfare, also known as a new generation of warfare. The main reason is that the following two intelligence attributes of social media are becoming more and more obvious:

One is manipulation.

First, social media can shape people's perceptions and redesign society. Anything can be brought to life through social media, and society can be part of a simulated world. Second, social media can manipulate reality and weaken a country's administrative, social, military, or economic power, and it can also lead to internal conflict, social polarization, and radicalization in a country. Third, manipulating some sensitive and controversial issues in society will cause disputes and conflicts on virtual platforms. When this problem is transferred to the real environment, it will lead to conflicts between the state and society or between different groups in society.

The second is predictability.

Countries can predict whether conflict, intervention or military action will occur in a region by analyzing the flow of social media and big data information. Many countries already use social media extensively to conduct psychological warfare, such as smear campaigns and disinformation campaigns, and to obtain instant intelligence from areas of operation. In this way, states can not only intervene or take military action, but also separate and weaken hostile state societies.