Hybrid Threats for a Society

Key points by Ioanna Georgia Eskiadi

In this webinar we discussed the new phenomenon of hybrid threats in our society and the risks that are posed. The nature of war and conflict is changing and transforming in an information war. Modern warfare combines old and new methods in order to subdue the enemy’s societal will to fight. These new conditions create unprecedented pressure in modern societies, even in peacetime, as hybrid threats take advantage of our connectivity and reliance on information technology. In this webinar discuss what is a hybrid threat and what threats modern societies face. Our society is threatened by internal and external actors, which have different natures. At the same time, national authorities of democratic countries can play an important role in the protection of the society to deal with hybrid threats and protect society from misinformation.

Hybrid threats refer to an action conducted by state or non-state actors, whose goal is to undermine or harm a target by combining overt and covert military and nonmilitary means. The term of hybrid threat describes the diverse and the dynamic combination of conventional forces, regular forces, terrorists and criminal elements all unified to achieve a target. Everything describing hybrid threats is not something new, it is the way that war is wasted for centuries, it includes propaganda, it includes psychological operations, conventional operations, and unconventional forces, but the difference is that all these elements are combined in a way each actor has his or her own agenda. Nevertheless, they want to achieve a mutually beneficial effect. For this reason, they are using all these different elements in a new way without employing them on their own, but actually working with the existing elements is what creates differences in modern societies.

Fake news can severely affect social cohesion and it’s difficult to tell apart fake news originated from people’s misconceptions and profit-seeking individuals, from those originated from actors who want to harm the society’s integrity and functioning. Invaders are using disinformation or misinformation like fake videos or photos for political purposes by creating, manipulating, and sharing content to distract. Individuals and platforms are making money from this area of fakes, called clickbait. Social media brought together many people and led them to amplify their beliefs. Disinformation and misinformation can radicalize people and destabilize the foundation of democracy.

Key points

· Modern warfare combines old and new methods.

· Threats by internal and external actors.

· Fake news impact social cohesion.

· Disinformation is a new hybrid threat.

· Important role of national authorities.

· Need to protect democracy.

· Everything describing hybrid threats is not something new.

· We need interconnection in order to operate in our daily lives.

· Hybrid threats can include terrorist groups or criminals.

· Use of clickbait to distract information.

Speakers

Major Eric Slocum, Officer of the US Army and assistant Military Attaché of the US Embassy in Athens.
Dr. Oscar Jonsson, Academic Director for the IE Center for the Governance of Change.
Mr.Thanos Sitistas, Senior editor/ fact-checker at Ellinika hoaxes.
Dr. Angelos Kaskanis, Ph.D. Terrorism and Security Studies. Project Manager, Tactics Institute for Security and Counter-Terrorism.

This event was co-organized by Digital Communication Network SouthEast Europe Hub (DCN SEE) and World Learning and is part of DCNSEE’s Ideas in Action — Digital Engagement, a series of virtual events launched in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. DCNSEE is supported by the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Citizen Exchanges.

DCN SOUTHEAST EUROPE HUB is a consortium of Aristotle University, Digital Communication Network, non-profits, public and private organizations and companies involved in the fields of digital communication, social impact campaigns, technology, and innovation. It is a unique, interdisciplinary coalition tapping into the best talent and resources across Europe.