CLASS 13: THE SOLUTION IS IN OUR HANDS

BUT IT WON’T BE EASY

Can we fix it?

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

We’ve learned a lot about why and how bad actors carry out malign influence operations, from trolls and bots amplifying disinformation to security services buying and coopting our leaders and influencers. We’ve also discussed why these operations are bad for democratic societies. Namely, democracy only exists when there is rule of law, which requires everyone to agree to certain set of rules and facts.

The polluting of the information ecosystem we’ve seen building over the past number of years has been accompanied by a global slide toward authoritarianism. That’s no coincidence.

So, what can we do about it?

Counterintelligence operations and policy changes are out of our hands, residing rather with our political and national security leaders. But there are steps we as individuals can take to contribute to protecting the information environment and democracy. However, it will require systemic change that will only come with constant vigilance and effort. There will never be a final victory.