Christopher A. Mouton, Caleb Lucas & Shaun Ee
Malign information operations by foreign actors seek to undermine the strategic interests of the United States.1 These operations, which are often orchestrated by authoritarian regimes, are intended to manipulate the global information environment for geostrategic purposes.2 Such operations seek to shape public perceptions abroad by “creat[ing] propa ganda to undermine other nations’ national security.”3 The advent of advanced technologies and the popularity of digital media platforms have increased the potential scale of these operations by allow ing malign entities to generate and distribute misinformation with increased efficiency and reach.
In addition to spreading false or misleading information, malign information operations often employ broader forms of propaganda to shape narratives, shift public discourse, and undermine other nations’ national security.5 These operations often leverage classical propaganda techniques, such as
• name-calling, which attaches disparaging labels to opponents
• glittering generalities, which use vague, positive phrases to garner approval
• transfer, which links the authority or prestige of something else to what is being promoted
• testimonial, which uses endorsements from celebrities or authorities to imply credibility
• plain-folk, which appeals to the average person’s values and experiences
• card-stacking, which selectively presents information favorable to one perspective
a• bandwagon, which promotes the idea that because everyone else is doing it, one should too.
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