Media and Hybrid War: Political influence and Disinformation
Abstract
The 21st century has seen an expansion of information communication. The Internet and its confluence with information technology have increased accessibility to media, especially social media. On the one hand, it has facilitated the people; on the other, it has created complexities in warfare because these modern media tools have become dangerous weapons for many states and non-state actors. Modern media tools have made it easier to launch online battles and influence events at national and global levels. The mode of war has seen a dramatic shift as media has entered the domain of warfare and become one of the main components of modern warfare. Manipulation of opinion through modern media tools has played a significant role in altering the outcomes. The Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election, the role of media in the French election, and Brexit show how media plays its role in changing perceptions. Some countries and non-state actors are employing media as an instrument of warfare for their political goals. Modern media tools have emerged as power instruments to influence a democratic process and promote negative propaganda to achieve the desired goals. The study aims to explore the role of media in hybrid warfare in a global context and examines emerging challenges of Media as an instrument of modern action against Pakistan arising from external and internal actors.
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