Russia’s Information War Against the US
Registration REQUIRED by 12pm on February 7, 2025 in order to attend this event.
Please join the Harriman Institute for a lecture by Ivana Stradner. Moderated by Tanya Domi.
The exponential advancements in digital technology in the past few decades, particularly with social media, have facilitated new ways in which governments may conduct information operations, designed to engineer shifts in adversary decision-making by shaping the views among people. One of the more dangerous players is Russia, which has long been adept at utilizing information to deepen polarization and social chaos in the U.S., all aimed at eroding American dominance and reestablishing Russia as a global power. Russian operatives spread incendiary messages on social media about contentious American political issues, and Russian bot farms are using AI to impersonate Americans and spread disinformation online – and it has become worse as the U.S. has undergone divisive elections in recent years.
The U.S. has reacted tepidly to adversarial attempts to shape the hearts and minds of Americans, and it can no longer afford to be so complacent. The U.S. must go on the offensive, adopting a “swarming” strategy to overwhelm Russia’s digital space and flood the Russian people with vast amounts of information. This will preoccupy Russian intelligence services, forcing them to address the social upheaval at home, rather than focusing on undermining the U.S. with their various offensive operations. Without a strong response, Russia will continue to be emboldened and persist in its attacks, exploiting vulnerabilities in the American information space. It is imperative to recognize the threat in this protracted information conflict – and fight back.
