Cognitive Warfare (CW) is a new field of information warfare that uses psychology, neuroscience and technical means to influence people's cognition and decision-making.This article aims to explorecognitive warfarerole in modern society, especially its application in a military context, and analyzes the role of the Czech Republic and Ukraine in the fight against Russiacognitive warfareexperience and how the EU and NATO should respond to this challenge.
The concept of cognitive warfare originated in the 1990s and evolved from the concepts of psychological warfare and information warfare.cognitive warfareThe goal is to influence the entire society, not just military targets, and it mainly uses “gray products” (that is, information that is not strictly propaganda) to do so.cognitive warfareThe danger lies in its ability to change people's behavior and decision-making by influencing public perceptions, thereby posing a threat to society.
Czech Republic and Ukraine fight against Russiacognitive warfarehave different experiences. The Czech government has shown a passive attitude in dealing with Russian influence, while Ukraine has taken more active measures as it directly faces Russian military aggression. The Ukrainian government has established an Information Policy Ministry and an Anti-Disinformation Center, strengthened strategic communications, and improved the status of independent media.In contrast, the Czech Republic has a higher degree of media freedom, but in the face of pressure from Russia and ZGcognitive warfareHowever, no significant progress has been made.
The EU and NATO, which regard themselves as defenders of liberal democratic values, are faced withcognitive warfarechallenges.They need to develop effective strategies to fight againstcognitive warfare. This includes promoting best practices from countries such as Finland, establishing a transparent review framework, and strengthening strategic communications.In addition, there is a need to build cooperation between governments, media and civil society to jointly respond tocognitive warfarethreats.
cognitive warfareIt will not go away because Russia fails in Ukraine or other actors cease their information warfare. As cyber tools and understanding of the human brain continue to increase, even smaller non-state actors will conduct their own propaganda wars. Researchers believe that in order to maintain the identity of the West, it is necessary to continuously promote the values of liberal democracy and combat anti-democratic elements in society. The EU needs to use its influence over member states' laws and policies, while NATO cannot abandon its soft power tools and needs to focus on its strategic communications.
Cognitive warfare is an integral part of modern society and can only be minimized through the efforts of the whole society.cognitive warfarenegative impact on society. The EU and NATO must convince and force their member states to take necessary defensive measures and even take proactive action if necessary.
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Summarize：
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The paper discusses the issue of cognitive warfare (CW) in Western society, especially a comparative analysis of the Czech Republic and Ukraine.
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Emphasizing cooperation among countries and mutual assistance among governments, media, and civil society is the key to combating cognitive warfare.
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Cognitive warfare is a tactic that affects human behavior and cognition, and Western countries and NATO should regard it as a major threat.
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Due to differences in history, political structure and media freedom, the Czech Republic has limited effectiveness in combating the influence of external information.
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With Ukraine facing direct attack from Russia, the government, media and civil society have become more proactive in promoting the country's resilience, albeit in potentially controversial ways.
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cognitive warfare definition: Interventions in human cognition and decision-making processes.
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Czech experience: The government has been slow to respond to Russian influence, the media is free but vulnerable to outside influence, and civil society faces fragmentation.
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Ukrainian experience: Confronting the conflict has led the government to adopt a stronger information warfare strategy, involving the media and civil society to enhance national resilience.
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Conclusion and policy recommendations: Cooperation among governments, media, and civil society is required within each country. The EU and NATO should coordinate member states’ response strategies to cognitive warfare.
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Content requirements：
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Cognitive warfare is an inevitable part of modern society, and responses need to take into account the political, cultural and social context.
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Experience in the Czech Republic and Ukraine suggests that aggressive defense measures may be more effective, but require better strategic communication.
Summary: This article explores the origins and development of cognitive warfare and how it differs from other forms of unconventional warfare, emphasizing that the goal of cognitive warfare is to influence the public and government policy and destabilize public institutions.
Over the past few decades, the shape of warfare has changed dramatically, from the physical threats of traditional warfare to the social and ideological threats posed by mass media and technological advances. The emergence of cognitive warfare is unlike any form of warfare we have seen before. While it borrows elements from previous hybrid wars, its scope and level of impact make it more dangerous than its predecessor. This article will explore the origins, purpose, execution methods, and how to deal with this new type of warfare.
The Origin and Evolution of Cognitive Warfare
Cognitive warfare, while sharing many similarities with other unconventional and non-kinetic types of warfare/operations, is ultimately unique in its execution and purpose. We begin by reviewing non-kinetic warfare during the Cold War, specifically psychological operations (PsyOps). As technology advanced, electronic warfare and subsequently cyber warfare emerged. As cyber capabilities continued to evolve and intelligence became a growing field, information warfare began to evolve. However, cognitive warfare goes further than just fighting for control of the flow of information; it is a battle to fight for or change the way people respond to information. Cognitive warfare attempts to make the enemy destroy itself from within.
The definition and goals of cognitive warfare
The fundamental goal of cognitive warfare is to destabilize and influence. These goals work to sow discontent within society or encourage specific beliefs and actions. The 2016 Democratic National Convention (DNC) leak is a good example of foreign powers exploiting divisions to destabilize society. Terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda demonstrate how civilians can be influenced and recruited through radical ideologies. Today, this insidious manipulation is easier to pull off than ever before. Advances in connectivity, digitalization, neurology and psychology have brought many benefits to society. However, with every new opportunity comes a new threat. The problem we face now is that social media has the ability to broadcast information within minutes to billions of people who are willing to receive it. We must defend ourselves against algorithms that identify those most susceptible to posted material and most willing to spread it. The ability to falsify and manipulate information is unprecedented in this day and age, and recent advances in artificial intelligence now make video and audio suspect. People are unsure of what to believe, and even government institutions are not immune to this lack of trust. At the same time, we are revolutionizing our understanding of how the brain and emotions work, with individuals experimenting with different forms of control.
Implementation and impact of cognitive warfare
Cognitive warfare is conducted through a variety of means, including social media, news networks, automated algorithms, artificial intelligence, mental health coaching, and even our own physiology. All of this is working to make us more connected, more data-driven and more curious. However, the path of our thinking is not a one-way street. As people receive information, they are also constantly leaking information and data. Simple lines of code can quickly identify and describe everything about us: our habits, friends, beliefs, culture, preferences, and even our vices. War will no longer be fought with exposed bodies, but with exposed minds. This is a new approach to warfare that we call cognitive warfare.
Case study of cognitive warfare
The first basic goal of cognitive warfare is to destabilize the target population. Destruction is achieved by destroying the population system and the organization and unity of the people. This resulted in a sharp decline in productivity and less cooperation as the population was now overwhelmed by internal problems and unable to focus on achieving common goals. Enforcers undermine the organization and unity of targeted populations by accelerating existing divisions within population groups or introducing new ideas designed to pit different groups against each other and increase polarization.
Coping Strategies for Cognitive Warfare
We believe NATO must adapt quickly and forcefully to current cognitive warfare threats and work to deter future threats. While democratic society is complex and amazing, it is also fragile. To stay ahead of these threats, NATO must respond defensively in three ways. First, NATO must work to develop a working definition or framework for the conduct of cognitive warfare. This includes a set of criteria for detecting cognitive attacks taking place. Second, the coalition must assess national and individual-level vulnerabilities to cognitive attacks in hopes of creating and inspiring a more resilient population. Third, NATO must establish an organization that liaises with technology companies to meet the challenges of future warfare. A final consideration might be the analysis of potentially hostile states where we might use cognitive warfare in an offensive strategy or as a means of deterrence.
The basis of epistemic warfare is not just law and civil order, but trust and mutual respect: we will abide by these laws, respect civil institutions, and respect trust in each other and our different opinions. Trust is now at risk, truth is under attack, and democracy is threatened. The time to prepare is now, and the world is watching.
Summarize:
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Warfare has shifted from traditional physical threats to social and ideological threats posed by mass media and technological advances, leading to the formation of “cognitive warfare.”
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The purpose of cognitive warfare is to attack by controlling or changing people's responses to information. Although it has similarities with other non-traditional forms of warfare, it is unique in execution and goals.
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This article analyzes the evolution of non-kinetic warfare from Cold War-era psychological operations (PsyOps) to electronic warfare, cyber warfare, and information warfare, and finally to cognitive warfare.
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The basic goal of cognitive warfare is to destabilize and influence, aiming to sow discontent within society or promote specific beliefs and actions.
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The 2016 Democratic National Convention (DNC) leaks and al Qaeda are examples of outside forces using divisions to destabilize and influence and recruit civilians through radical ideology.
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As connectivity, digitization, neurology, and psychology advance, previously unseen manipulations become more accessible.
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Threats arising from cognitive warfare include simplified choice and virality, new definitions of truth, distrust and suspicion of institutions, emotional manipulation, and enhanced agent recruitment.
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Strategic recommendations include developing a basic framework for dealing with cognitive warfare, assessing vulnerabilities, establishing relationships with technology companies, and analytical considerations of cognitive warfare as an offensive strategy or means of deterrence.
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Cognitive warfare threatens the foundations of democracy—law, civil order, and mutual trust and respect—and now is the time to plan for a response.
The original text and machine translation of the above document have been uploaded to Knowledge Planet
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