Ideas and perceptions that determine the outcome of information warfare
Information warfare no longer remains on the periphery of military operations. The competition to influence the judgment, emotions, and actions of the adversary by leveraging data and platforms is expanding across all areas of politics, diplomacy, and society. In this process, the meaning attributed to information and how it is conveyed are just as important as the volume of information itself.
The European External Action Service (EEAS) defines foreign information manipulation and interference as activities that intentionally and systematically use information to manipulate, undermining societal trust and political processes. This means that the core battleground of information warfare is not the data itself, but people’s perceptions and decision-making.
Information warfare goes beyond data competition
Traditional information warfare has been defined as a concept encompassing information collection, analysis, protection, and disruption. Recently, the scope has expanded to include activities such as shaping public opinion, dissemination via platforms, psychological influence, and inducing social division.
The U.S. Army’s 2023 information doctrine states that all actions and imagery generated during operations have an informational effect. This includes not only combat power and military equipment, but also statements, on-site responses, publicly available information, and even the communication of soldiers themselves, all of which can influence the adversary’s decision-making.
Actual information manipulation activities use multiple channels simultaneously. According to a report released by the EEAS in 2025, more than 500 cases of foreign information manipulation and interference targeting Europe and partner countries were recorded in 2024, involving at least 25 platforms and approximately 38,000 accounts. The number of targeted organizations was 322, while related activities were confirmed in as many as 90 countries.
Ideas give meaning to facts
The same facts, depending on the context and language in which they are presented, can elicit completely different reactions. Therefore, in information warfare, an “idea” is not a simple slogan, but rather a framework for interpreting events, a narrative that determines what people consider important and who they trust.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) describes the core of information warfare as a competition that influences human cognitive processes and judgment. Emotions, identity, uncertainty, and existing biases are major factors that intervene in the process of information dissemination and interpretation. Simply presenting facts is not enough; it is also necessary to examine how people perceive those facts within the context of their own experiences and values.
Therefore, in information warfare, a consistent explanatory structure is more important than fragmented rebuttals. It is necessary to quickly present the facts, while also explaining the background, interests, and potential impact of the event. Accumulating reliable sources and transparent evidence is also the foundation for long-term competition over perceptions.
The Role of Strategic Communication
Strategic communication is not limited to the technique of delivering messages. It is a comprehensive activity that aligns an organization’s actions, policies, and external messages in a single direction, helping a specific audience understand and judge the situation. It aims to coordinate.
At the NATO Communicators Conference in 2024, it was emphasized that strategic communication, military public affairs, psychological operations, and information operations must be integrated within the cognitive environment. The aim is to create consistent messaging based on the same goals and facts, rather than operating each function separately.
Effective strategic communication requires several principles. First, it must be based on verifiable facts. Second, it should use language that is easy to understand for the target audience. Third, it should build trust from the beginning, rather than relying solely on explanations after a crisis occurs. Fourth, there must be no inconsistency between the message and actual actions.
Cognitive defense is a task for society as a whole
Responding to information manipulation is not solely the responsibility of the government or the military. The media, platform companies, research institutions, civil society organizations, and educational institutions must work together to verify the sources and dissemination paths of information. The EEAS also proposes a comprehensive approach that combines situational awareness, social resilience, regulation and disruption, and diplomatic responses.
At the individual level, it is crucial to avoid immediately sharing posts with unclear origins, and to verify the original content and context, especially for posts with sensational titles or short, edited videos. At the organizational level, it is important to establish crisis response procedures and official announcement systems in advance, and to be able to respond before misinformation spreads, rather than after it has already been disseminated.
Ultimately, the competitiveness in information warfare is not determined solely by technology. The ability to interpret data, the capacity to generate persuasive ideas, and the trust that aligns facts with actions must all work together. In the age of information, a strategic advantage is more likely to be gained by the side that conveys meaning more accurately and consistently, rather than the side that possesses more information.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is information warfare?
Information warfare refers to activities that involve collecting, protecting, analyzing, disseminating, or disrupting information to influence the perception, judgment, and actions of the adversary. It occurs not only in the military domain but also in politics, diplomacy, society, and the economy.
How do information warfare and cognitive warfare differ?
While information warfare refers to a broad competition surrounding information and information systems, cognitive warfare focuses on influencing human thought, emotions, judgment, and behavior. In actual operations and policy settings, there is significant overlap between these two concepts.
What is the importance of ideas in information warfare?
Ideas connect individual facts into a meaningful narrative, providing a framework for people to interpret events. Even the same facts can lead to different public judgments and actions depending on the context and the way they are presented.
What is strategic communication?
Strategic communication is an activity that aligns policies, actions, and public messages in a consistent direction to facilitate understanding and judgment among specific target audiences. It is a broader concept than simple public relations, and also includes building trust and responding to crises.
How can individuals respond to information manipulation?
Before sharing a post, it is necessary to verify the source, the time of creation, the original text, and other reliable reports. The more a piece of content excessively stimulates emotions or demands immediate action, the safer it is to compare it with multiple sources.
