Are We Ready to Outsource Influence Operations Once And For All?

Daesh’s ability to exploit Twitter as a propaganda and recruiting resource has been very prominent in the media. One article, “Three Steps to Destroy ISIS on Twitter” (See: http://www.defenseone.com/technology/2015/03/three-steps-destroy-isis-twitter/107910/?oref=d-river) takes the view that there is a logical way to thwart these efforts.

They suggest:

1.    Take a networked approach to identifying pro-ISIS accounts for suspension.

2.    Outsource counter-messaging to a party that can actually be effective.

3.    Twitter should become more like Facebook and YouTube.

The second bullet caught my eye be cause of many discussions found in the media about MISO and Public Diplomacy. This particular article doesn’t mention DoD, but they do believe: “The fundamental problem lies in the fact that the State Department, by virtue of being an official arm of the United States government, is limited in the way it can communicate with groups like the Islamic State on open platforms like Twitter”

The track record of the government as a global influencer, especially in areas of the world where the US has historically been unpopular, is not good. Both Department of State and Department of Defense have been at the influence game for some time and both have been subject to criticism in Congress and elsewhere.

Yet the problem remains. Clearly it is in the best interest of the US government to get the best bang for the buck with its influence dollar. And reasonable people would agree that influence is a keep function of government, yet no workable alternative has been proposed.

If Cabinet level departments are ineffectual and contractors are too profit driven – what’s the right answer?

I’ll leave it to you.

Photo Source: https://twitter.com/thinkagain_dos