Information wars : how we lost the global battle against disinformation & what we can do about it / Richard Stengel.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Stengel, Richard, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States. Department of State.

IS (Organization).

Information warfare.

Disinformation.

IS (Organization)--In mass media.

Russo-Ukrainian War, 2014---Mass media and the war.

Russo-Ukrainian War, 2014-.

Terrorism in mass media.

Social media--Political aspects.

Social media.

International relations.

Russia (Federation)--Foreign relations--21st century.

Russia (Federation).

Mass media and international relations.

Internet and international relations.

United States. Department of State--Officials and employees.

United States.

Diplomatic relations.

Employees.

Mass media.

Mass media and war.

Physical Description:

357 pages ; 24 cm

Edition:

First edition.

First Grove Atlantic harcover edition.

Other Title:

How we lost the global battle against disinformation and what we can do about it

Place of Publication:

New York : Atlantic Monthly Press, 2019.

Summary:

"In February of 2013, Richard Stengel, the former editor-in-chief of Time, joined the Obama administration as Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. Within days, two shocking events made world-wide headlines: ISIS executed American journalist James Foley on a graphic video seen by tens of millions, and Vladimir Putin's "little green men"--Russian special forces--invaded Crimea, amid a blizzard of Russian denials and false flags. What these events had in common besides their violent lawlessness is that they were the opening salvos in a new era of global information war, where countries and non-state actors use social media and disinformation to create their own narratives and undermine anyone who opposes them. Stengel was thrust onto the front lines of this battle as he was tasked with responding to the relentless weaponizing of information and grievance by ISIS, Russia, China, and others. He saw the scale of what he was up against and found himself hopelessly outgunned. Then, in 2016, the wars Stengel was fighting abroad came home during the presidential election, as "fake news" became a rallying cry and the Russians used the techniques they learned in Ukraine to influence the election here. Rarely has an accomplished journalist been not only a close observer but also a principal participant in the debates and decisions of American foreign policy. Stengel takes you behind the scenes in the ritualized world of diplomacy, from the daily 8:30 morning huddle with a restless John Kerry to a midnight sit-down in Saudi Arabia with the prince of darkness Mohammed bin Salman. The result is a rich account of a losing battle against trolls and bots--who are every bit as insidious as their names imply."-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Welcome to State

Getting There

The Job

Information War

The Battle Is Engaged

Disruption

What to Do About Disinformation.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [319]-339) and index.

ISBN:

9780802147981

0802147984

OCLC:

1114281966