Impact of Social Media on the Nature of Conflict, and a Commander's Strategy for Social Media

摘要

Social media is a phenomenon that has changed the way information is passed across societies and around the world. The rapid spread of blogs, social networking sites, media sharing technology and wikis, aided by the rapid spread of mobile technology, is changing the nature of social and political discourse and therefore is changing the conditions in which the US Military operates. The speed with which information can be shared using social media has increased dramatically. The traditional roles of the media have changed with the ubiquitous nature of the new media. Finally, social media allows people to use social networking to mobilize groups in support of a cause without having to expose themselves to the risks and costs formerly associated with activism. This paper looks at case studies of recent events, examples of effective application of social media, and current U.S. operational doctrine and will attempt to answer the question: What are the potential implications of social media on the strategic environment and the nature of conflicts. More importantly, the final section of this paper addresses the question: How can US military commanders develop a strategy for social media to be successful operating in the social media environment..