Facebook Emerges As Major Weapons System in Libya

The NY Times article in the September 4, 2018 print version was “Libyan Fighters Wilde   Screens” (see: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/04/world/middleeast/libya-facebook.html, which is also a photo source).

Facebook Like a Weapon”. The online version headline was: “A Face book War: Libyans Battle on the Streets and on

Facebook has become not only a bully pulpit for “boasts, taunts and chilling threats”, and a source of ‘fake news’ and hate. In addition to its role in cyber influence, Facebook is also an intelligence source wherein enemy forces provide detail information on how to locate and destroy potential targets.

Reportedly forged Arabic documents can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/DawnOfLibya/photos/a.1532922660297783/2150582735198436/?type=3&theater 

Pages attributed to terrorist leaders can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100021143453079.

While Facebook’s COO, Sheryl Sandberg defended her company’s efforts to the Senate Intelligence Committee (see for example: https://techcrunch.com/2018/09/05/highlights-from-the-senate-intelligence-hearing-with-facebook-and-twitter/) Facebook continued to serve as an information conduit for arms dealers (here’s what Facebook considers a firearm: https://www.facebook.com/help/1225342300814365?helpref=faq_content) and misinformation. The company’s efforts to remove content that violates its principles such as organizations or people who are involved in organized violence are noteworthy they are the 21^st century equivalent of cleaning the Augean stables. (Get the book on iTunes at: http://www.freeappalliance.com/app/298860/the-augean-stables-by-sona-and-jacob-books)

There have been many analyses of the conflicts in Libya. You can read one of them at: http://bit.ly/2wWNV5o. Libya remains a fertile ground for conflict and crime. This is yet another proof point for the power and versatility of social media.

Social Media is clearly a battlefield multiplier and ‘we’ need to insure that our cyber

influence force is the most capable in the world and that we can also apply Counter Intelligence and Counter Propaganda tools to help advance our goals and objectives.