IGC 2024 Week 3: Strategic Mass Communication PDF

IGC Week 3: An initiation to Strategic Mass Communication And now, time for some quality music and important lyrics… Toby Keith - American Soldier (2003) IGC Week 3: An initiation to Strategic Mass Communication Mythologies and beliefs are human-made How do you create beliefs? ...

IGC Week 3: An initiation to Strategic Mass Communication And now, time for some quality music and important lyrics… Toby Keith - American Soldier (2003) IGC Week 3: An initiation to Strategic Mass Communication Mythologies and beliefs are human-made How do you create beliefs?  Organized and planned Strategic Mass communication Communication targeting large audiences using media to influence and change behaviors Can we still control information? Joseph Stalin 1878-1953 Source: Goodreads, Liste des schädlichen und unerwünschten Schrifttums, December 31, 1938 https://counterarchive.hosting.nyu.edu/exhibits/show/boo k-banning-by-governments/censorship--banning--and-book https://counterarchive.hosting.nyu.edu/exhibits/show/boo k-banning-by-governments/censorship--banning--and-book https://counterarchive.hosting.nyu.edu/exhibits/show/boo k-banning-by-governments/censorship--banning--and-book Closer to today https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/apr/04/polish -priest-apologises-for-harry-potter-book-burning  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/book news/9900733/Top-20-books-they-tried-to-ban. html “banned in Lebanon for depicting Jews positively” https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychalleng edbooks/top10 Should we still control information?  The suppression or prohibition of any parts of books, films, news, etc. Censorship that are considered obscene, politically unacceptable, or a threat to security. (Oxford dictionary) Why censorship? Protecting societies https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/17/technology/amaz on-hitler-mein-kampf.html Controling information in the Internet age? https://www.wired.com/story/internet-reality-north-korea / “A librarian sits between two internet users and continuously monitors what people on both sides are searching up,” Kim said in testimony to the researchers. “Every five minutes, the screen freezes automatically, and the librarian must do a fingerprint authentication to allow further internet use.” A state security officer was also always nearby, they said. the use of (smartphones) is highly controlled—data speeds are low, with devices capturing screenshots every few minutes and code that only allows government-approved content to be shown. And internet penetration is at nowhere near the same level. Chinese and Russian internet service providers hook the country up to the global network  2021 https://theconversation.com/russia-is-building-its-own-kin d-of-sovereign-internet-with-help-from-apple-and-google- 169115  2023 https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/russia-is-tryin g-to-leave-the-internet-and-build-its-own/ Last week the Russian government tried to disconnect its Internet infrastructure from the larger global Web. This test of Russia’s “sovereign Internet” seemingly failed, causing outages that suggest the system is not ready for practical use. Great Firewall of China https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/jun/ 29/the-great-firewall-of-china-xi-jinpings-inter net-shutdown  For Xi Jinping, however, there is no distinction between the virtual world and the real world: both should reflect the same political values, ideals, and standards. https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/jun/ 29/the-great-firewall-of-china-xi-jinpings-inter net-shutdown  All Internet services providers in China are licensed and controlled by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, meaning that every content in and out of China can be monitored and manipulated by the Chinese authorities. https://medium.com/@chewweichun/how-it-wo rks-great-firewall-of-china-c0ef16454475 In the Western world  efforts to suppress a juicy piece of Streisand effect online information can backfire and end up making things worse for the Since 2003 would-be censor Barbra Streisand singing Memory Oh the irony  efforts to suppress a juicy piece of Streisand effect online information can backfire and end up making things worse for the Since 2003 would-be censor  In 2003 Barbra Streisand attempted to suppress photographs taken of her house, and a meme was born. Barbra Streisand was unhappy that a photograph of her Malibu home was put on the internet She sued aerial photographer Kenneth Adelman for displaying a photograph of her home in Malibu, California, published as part of a series of photos of the California coastline that he was taking for a photographic project. Her legal action was later dismissed under California law - but she was probably more upset by the 420,000 visits in a month to the site where her photo was published. Naturally, these all came after the news of her legal action made headlines around the world. In fact, according to documents filed in a California court, her house's image had been downloaded only six times before Streisand's legal action - including twice by her own lawyers. Streisand effect Mike Masnick of Techdirt coined the singer's attempt to suppress publication of the photograph as the "Streisand effect" in January https://www.bbc.com/news/uk- 2005. 18458567 Why control when you can confuse? Reminder  Excess of information, Hyperinformation leading to information overload. 44.000.000.000.000.000.000.000 bytes Or 44 zettabytes Entire digital universe in 2020 (according to World Economic Forum) 463.000.000.000.000.000.000 bytes Or 463 exabytes Data created per day by 2025 (according to World Economic Forum) Misinformation To inform wrongly with no intention to mislead. Since January 2001 Consensual knowledge Knowledge that is considered true enough to be accepted by all True enough Where to get the right information?  The big Whatsapp group? IGC a few years ago 2 days before the Exam Dear Etienne, Could you please help me with the correct definition of "misinformation". I am a bit confused since the online google definition says misinformation is intended to mislead and the lecture slides say misinformation has no intention to mislead. I feel a bit disinformed here haha. Thank you in advance. Kind regards, J Why it is confusing September 20, 2024 Recently I was made aware that Al of 'me' falsely endorsing Donald Trump's presidential run was posted to his site. It really conjured up my fears around Al, and the dangers of spreading misinformation. On average, most internet users globally (58.5% of respondents that use the Internet regularly) are concerned about digital misinformation. However, we find large differences in public risk perception between different parts of the world. In all regions around the world, concern about misinformation is more common than concern about abuse or fraud in digital spaces (Knuutila et al., 2020). In Eastern Europe and Central and South Asia, concern about misinformation is low, with South Asia having the lowest share of internet users who feel vulnerable to misinformation (32.2%). In contrast, in the Americas, Africa, and Western Europe the majority of internet users feel concerned. The highest numbers are in Latin America, where an average of 74.2% of internet users report feeling vulnerable. Fake news? Fake news? 2 main types of Strategic Mass Communication I. Disinformation  Strategy of mass communication Disinformation where lies are being spread on purpose. 1. False information presented as true 2. True information presented as false 3. Part of information presented as its globality Why disinformation? The Art of War 孫子兵法 Sun Tzu 5th century BC “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War Control of information is key to winning battles  “The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent.” Katyń April/May 1940 22,000 Polish military officers and intelligentsia slaughtered by USSR Nazi Germany accused of the crime until 1990  misleading the opponent with regard to one’s own intentions, causing the Maskirovka opponent to make wrong Маскировка decisions and thereby (Camouflage) playing into one’s own hand Operation INFEKTION KGB 1985 “In 1985, the Soviets began a concerted program claiming that a U.S. laboratory at Fort Detrick, Maryland created the AIDS virus. The Soviets used their own media and other unwitting media around the world to accomplish this disinformation program. Articles in Soviet and international newspapers amplified their story of the development of AIDS. Eventually, the stories were reinforced by an article in the London Sunday Express, a conservative publication.” Difference between misinformation and disinformation Intention 2 main types of Strategic Mass Communication II. Propaganda  Origins of propaganda Sacra congregatio de propaganda fide (1622) Rebranding in Congregation for 1982 the Evangelization of Peoples Propaganda A strategy of mass communication aiming at controlling people's beliefs. Use of information true or cannot be proven wrong Three types of propaganda White origins of propaganda are clearly identified Grey origins of the propaganda are unknown Black origins of the propaganda are false 6 Principles of effective propaganda Undetected Emotional Binary “Cool” Simple Repetitive What propaganda is not Dead Negative “Brainwashing” Only in dictatorships Not everything is propaganda! Time and Media Hegemony Major rule in Propaganda Ignore the opponents Reinforce the believers Seduce the undecided Elements of propaganda stories  Something that stand for or suggest Symbols something else by reason of relationship, association, convention, or accidental resemblance Svastika  cross with arms of equal length all bent halfway along at a 90° angle to the right or to the left Svastika geometrical figure and an ancient religious icon in the cultures of An example of evolution of Eurasia symbols depending on context United Kingdom British national savings stamp, 1916  USSR Kalmyk formations Red Army, 1919  Finland Hakaristi Finnish Defence Forces between 1918 and 1945  Denmark 19th century until the middle of the 1930s Nazi Germany flag, 1933-1945  stories, beliefs and behaviors that Traditions have been part of the culture of an organized group of people for a long Form of social storytelling time Christmas tree Jul tree  a person admired for great or brave Heroes acts or fine qualities demonstrated at the peril of their life Triumph of the Will Leni Riefenstahl Germany 1935 Leni Riefenstahl 1902-2003 Dr. Paul Joseph Goebbels Reich Minister of Propaganda of Nazi Germany 2nd Führer 3rd Reich 1901-1945 Techniques of propaganda Manual No. 33-1. HEADQUARTERS. DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY  attempt to take the spotlight off an unfavorable situation or condition by Shift of scene shifting it to another, preferably of the opponent, so as to force the Propaganda technique #1 enemy to go on the defense. "That's not the real issue here..." Let’s focus on what’s important! Wag the Dog 1997, Barry Levinson, USA “Why Albania?” “Why not?” Pinpointing the form of simplification in which a enemy complex situation is reduced to the point where the "enemy" is Propaganda technique #2 unequivocally identified. 1984 George Orwell, UK, 1949  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/book news/9900733/Top-20-books-they-tried-to-ban. html banned by the American Libraries Association for being a “bleak warning of totalitarian government and censorship”. Also banned in the USSR for implicitly criticising the Soviet regime. 1984 Two minutes of hate  Process in which the mechanisms of projection or displacement are used in focusing feelings of aggression, Scapegoating hostility, frustration, etc., upon another individual or group; the amount of blame being unwarranted. Medical definition Scapegoating relates to guilt by association and stereotyping.  act of blaming a person or group for Scapegoating unmerited blame and consequent negative treatment. Part of Pinpointing the enemy We all know the real problem today is the…  Assertions are positive statements presented as fact. They imply that Assertion what is stated is self-evident and needs no further proof. Assertions Propaganda technique #3 may or may not be true. "We all know..." But in academia, we say: "Studies have shown..."  attempt to persuade the target audience to take a course of action Bandwagon "everyone else is taking." "Join the crowd." This technique reinforces Propaganda technique #4 people's natural desire to be on the winning side. "Everybody is doing it!" So why don’t we? Influence of surveys and rankings 75% of percentages are made up 75% of students drink coffee  technique of acknowledging that the course of action being taken is Least of evils perhaps undesirable but that any alternative would result in an Propaganda technique #5 outcome far worse. "Well, better this than that!" Quiz time 10% final grade Please take a piece of paper and write down your name Relax, there is no in-lecture quiz that will be graded "Well, better this than that!"  Words in the value system of the target audience which tend to Virtue words produce a positive image when attached to a person or issue. Propaganda technique #6 Peace, happiness, security, freedom, sustainability, etc., are virtue words Back to the song of the beginning Toby Keith 1961-... https://www.rollingstone.co m/music/music-news/toby-ke ith-taylor-swift-big-break-flas hback-1234962328/ American soldier (Toby Keith, 2003) I'm just trying to be a father 'Cause freedom don't come free Raise a daughter and a son Be a lover to their mother I'm an American soldier, an American... Beside my brothers and my sisters And I will always do my duty I will proudly take a stand No matter what the price When liberty's in jeopardy I've counted up the cost I will always do what's right I know the sacrifice I'm out here on the front lines Oh, and I don't want to die for you sleep in peace tonight But if dyin's asked of me I'll bear that cross with honor Freedom don't come free! Wag the Dog 1997, Barry Levinson, USA Wag the Dog Barry Levinson, USA 1997 We have to watch this... Chicken Fried Zac Brown Band 2008 Chicken Fried Zac Brown Band 2008 Case study 1: Brexit (January 2020) Main issue: how do you overcome metathesiophobia? Main issue: how do you overcome Fear of change?  Appeal to Also called argumentum ad verecundiam, is a form of defeasible authority argument in which a claimed authority's support is used as Propaganda technique #7 evidence for an argument's conclusion  process of choosing from a variety of facts only those which support the propagandist's purpose. In using this Card stacking technique, facts are selected and presented which most effectively Propaganda technique #8 strengthen and authenticate the point of view of the propagandist. Case study 2: Russia vs Ukraine (February 2022) Picture: Paris 12/19 2018 Many people may feel a sense of anxiety when faced with an uncertain world. Although Sweden is safer than many other countries, there are still threats to our security and independence. Peace, freedom and democracy are values that we must protect and reinforce on a daily basis. January 28, 2022 https://www.theguardian.com/worl d/2022/jan/28/ukraine-plays-down -threat-of-russian-invasion-volodym yr-zelenskiy 24 February 2022 How Russian State Media Is Portraying the War in Ukraine | WSJ Special Operation vs Invasion of Ukraine The narratives Narrative #1 Explaining the World VIII Maskirovka Disguise, camouflage https://www.thelocal.com/20220503/fact-check-has-russia-laun ched-an-anti-swedish-propaganda-campaign/ Video: Time to move to Russia July 2022 Official propaganda Facebook Embassy of Russia in Bangladesh September 18, 2022 Alexander Dugin (https://t.me/Dugin_Aleksandr): At the heart of the global confrontation that has begun is the spiritual, religious aspect. Russia is at war with an anti-religious civilization that fights God and overthrows the very foundations of spiritual and moral values: God, the Church, the family, gender, man. With all the differences between Orthodoxy, traditional Islam, Judaism, Hinduism or Buddhism, all religions and the cultures built upon them preconize divine truth, the high spiritual and moral dignity of man, honoring traditions, and institutions - the state, the family, the community. The modern West has abolished all this, replacing it with virtual reality, extreme individualism, the destruction of gender, universal surveillance, a totalitarian 'abolition culture', a post-truth society. Open Satanism and outright racism flourish in Ukraine, and the West only supports them. We are dealing with what the Orthodox elders call the 'civilization of the Antichrist'. Russia's role is therefore to unite believers of different faiths in this decisive battle. You must not wait for the world enemy to destroy your home, kill your husband, son or daughter... At some point it will be too late. God forbid we live to see such a moment. Spiritual factor Aleksandr Dugin 1962-... He came to national attention in the 1990s as a writer for the far-right newspaper Den. In a 1991 manifesto published in Den, Dugin first laid out his anti-liberal and ultranationalist vision of Russia, a country he said was destined to face off against an individualistic, materialistic west. The Hero Narrative #2 Vladimir Putin 1952-...  arouse prejudices in an audience by labeling the object of the propaganda Name Calling campaign as something the target audience fears, hates, loathes, or Propaganda technique #9 finds undesirable Adolf Hitler Gamal Abdel Nasser Slobodan Milošević The Hero Volodymyr Zelensky 1978-... Volodymyr Zelensky “You’re my hero” Narrative #3 The Hero Joseph R. Biden 1942-... Damsel in distress St George and the Dragon George was born in Georgia and killed a dragon with his lance, Ascalon. In doing so, he saved the life of the princess who is next in line to be sacrificed to the beast in order to keep her city safe. St George and the dragon Futures of Propaganda? Today, propaganda operations can easily masquerade as entertainment or news, given that they exist side by side on social media platforms (Napoli, 2018). Computational use of algorithms, automation, and human curation to purposefully Propaganda distribute misleading information over social media networks (Phil Howard, Sam Woolley, University of Oxford, 2017)  10% of content over social media, and 62% of all web traffic, is generated by bots Samuel C. Woolley, Oxford’s Internet Institute’s Computational Propaganda Project (2018) Propaganda and captology Propaganda and video games How to protect yourself from propaganda? 1. Use diverse and reliable sources %/% Credibility of the source/ Credibility of the information  Share of respondents who tended to trust the written press in countries in the European Union as of February 2022 https://www.statista.com/statistics/454403/europe- trust-in-the-written-press-by-country/ Reporters without borders Since 1985 2022  2024 https://rsf.org/en/index https://adfontesmedia.com/static-mbc/?utm_source=HomePage_StaticMBC_Butto n&utm_medium=OnWebSite_Button 2. Check your facts True enough That’s me… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2ncGTvkx DQ&t=120s That’s also me… True (Truer) Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who will guard the guardians (Juvenal)  Appeal to Also called argumentum ad verecundiam, is a form of defeasible authority argument in which a claimed authority's support is used as Propaganda technique #7 evidence for an argument's conclusion Carl Sagan 1934-1996 Astronomer Arguments from authority carry little weight—“authorities” have made mistakes in the past. They will do so again in the future. Perhaps a better way to say it is that in science there are no authorities; at most, there are experts. 3. Look for the propaganda techniques Is education the same as propaganda? Options vs choices Epilogue Shifting the scene to “cool” Steve Aoki 1977-... 2023 TOMORROWLAND 2023! Heyyyyyyyyy!! Hooooooooooo!! Heyyyyyyyyy!! Hooooooooooo!! Heyyyyyyyyy!! Hooooooooooo!! Karma Once upon a time, at Schiphol Airport… Thank you for your attention!