InfoWar – African Style
InfoWar or Information Warfare is the use and management of information in pursuit of an advantage over an opponent. Information warfare may involve collection of tactical information, assurance that one’s own information is valid, spreading of propaganda or disinformation to demoralize the enemy and the public, undermining the quality of opposing force information and denial of information collection opportunities to opposing forces.
InfoWar has always been important in political and military struggles. In the modern world it possibly even more important for adversaries in a conflict to control and shape the information available.
Below is a video reporting on how some African citizen journalists – read that as Bloggers – are waging campaign of information warfare against the ruling parties in their lands who seek to maintain their authority at least partially by controlling and censoring what information is provided to their citizens and the world through the media.
This video is courtesy of Current_TV
These are some very brave and committed people who daily risk their freedom and their lives in an ongoing attempt to break their governments’ stranglehold on information dissemination. Across the globe citizen journalists – bloggers mostly – are engaged in an asymmetric war of information. They often manage though the porous nature of the internet to do what the Main Stream Media (MSM) is unable or unwilling to accomplish – the free and open release of information about unpopular, uncomfortable, and/or unprofitable issues.
Tags: Africa | Blogging | Freedom | Information Warfare | Journalism | Politics | Society | Technology | War
July 8th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
This makes me smile.
July 8th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Yeah. The media (world-wide) is in serious need of a makeover. The only news source that is justified in its abundance of crap is ESPN (which I will admit I do like).
Stations here in the US such as Fox News should be cancelled or overhauled, but it won’t because it brings in millions of dollars (from books written by Ann Coulter and Bill O’Reilly).
However, it seems that the tides are turning!
July 8th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Thanks for stopping by, Gabriel.
I think we shouldn’t single out Fox News though. They’re just one side of an equation that is driven by advertising dollars instead of journalism. All of the mainstream “news outlets” are better classed as infotainment.”
Frankly, if the bulk of the MSM hadn’t decided to make their money by pandering to the Left, Fox never could have made the money that they’ve raked in by pandering to the Right.
July 8th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
That is true. I watch Fox News more than I watch other networks though. Mainly because I’m interested in what other “conservatives” have to say about current issues.
I can usually tell what the other side has to say when I inverse the positions held by B.O. or someone of signifigance (on that new channel).
July 9th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Thanks for that wonderful video on African bloggers. Our world is changing right before our eyes. It’s good to participate.
July 9th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
You’re welcome, Mike and thanks for stopping by. I happened upon the video completely at random and it caught my attention enough that I decided to post it.
October 1st, 2008 at 5:15 am
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