A study of hostile information influence strategies and tactics to raise information security awareness

Analysis for the Estonian Ministry of Defence in order to raise awareness of information security and improve critical media literacy among military personnel.

Area: Internal security. 
Financed by the Estonian Centre for Defence Investments.
The team members from the Department of Semiotics: Andreas Ventsel, Associate Professor of Semiotics, and Mari-Liis Madisson, Research Fellow in Semiotics.

Goal

The goal of the research project was to identify the problems arising from hostile information-influence activities, and to suggest possible solutions. The focus of the study was to identify discursive strategies of hostile influence, examining the awareness of the target group and their readiness to cope with the information-influence activities.

The three phases of the project

The project consisted of three interrelated phases.

Qualitative and quantitative research

Qualitative and quantitative research methods were used to map the (social) media consumption habits of active servicemen and conscripts, develop critical media literacy, and describe experiences of hostile information influence activities such as creating information fog, amplifying polarization, spreading threat scenarios, denigrating the opponent, creating false identities, etc.

Web-based learning platform

Development of the prototype of a web-based learning platform for identifying information- influence strategies and techniques.

Learning platform "Mõjutustehnikad" (Influence strategies), in Estonian

Link to the learning platform
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