Information operations and warfare

The challenges 

• Technological possibilities and scalability: Modern technologies such as AI, automated bots and trolling campaigns can spread information on a large scale. Manipulated content circulates quickly on social media, amplified by filter bubbles and echo chambers. 

• Difficulty of detection and attribution: Influence operations are inexpensive, difficult to attribute and have a limited risk of escalation. A lack of data and analysis capacities makes timely identification difficult. 

• Social polarisation: Polarised societies are particularly susceptible to disinformation and manipulation from within. A deep understanding of human decision-making processes makes these attacks effective. 

• Attacks on democratic decision-making processes: Elections, votes or controversial political debates are favoured targets of influence operations. 

Recommendations for politics, business and society 

• Strengthening state capacities for detection and response: building up capabilities for recognising, analysing and attributing influence operations at all levels of government (federal, cantonal, municipal). Establishment of an early warning system (e.g. comparable to Alertswiss) for ongoing disinformation campaigns. 

• Create a legal and political basis: Review the legal framework to enable rapid and transparent responses. Establish guidelines for cooperation with social platforms and media in the fight against disinformation. 

• Cooperation with the private sector and media: cooperation with social media operators to identify and remove manipulated content. Support for fact-checking initiatives and targeted sensitisation of the population. 

• Increasing social resilience: promoting media literacy and awareness of digital risks in educational institutions. Integration of training programmes to identify and combat disinformation in all age groups. 

• International cooperation: Political coordination with the European Union to jointly combat social media influence operations. 

• Involvement of the population: Transparent and fact-based communication by government agencies in the event of attacks. Ensuring access to independent and reliable information.