TY  - SER
AU  - Prier, Jarred
AU  - Kai He
TI  - Commanding the trend: social media as information warfare
U1  - US.SS/4/2017 
KW  - MEDIOS DE COMUNICACION
KW  - ERA DE LA INFORMACION
KW  - GUERRA DE INFORMACION
KW  - ESTUDIO DE CASOS
N2  - This article demonstrates how social media is a tool for modern information-age warfare. Ir builds on analysis of three distinct topics: social networking, propaganda, and news and information sharing. Two case studies are used to show how state and nonstate actors use social media to employ time-tested propaganda techniques to yield far-reaching results. The spread of the propaganda message is accomplished by tapping into an existing narrative, then amplifying that message with a network of automatic bot accounts to force the social media platform algorithm to recognizr that message as a trending topic. The first case study analyzes Islamic State as a nonstate actor, while the second case observes Russia as a tate actor, with each provinding evidence of succesful influence operations using social media. Coercion and persuasion will continue to be decisive factors in information warfare as more countries attempt to build influence operations on social media
ER  -