War in 140 Characters : How Social Media Is Reshaping Conflict in the Twenty-First Century

A leading foreign correspondent looks at how social media has transformed the modern battlefield, and how wars are fought. Modern warfare is a war of narratives, where bullets are fired both physically and virtually. Whether you are a president or a terrorist, if you don't understand how to deploy the power of social media effectively you may win the odd battle but you will lose a twenty-first century war. Here, journalist David Patrikarakos draws on unprecedented access to key players to provide a new narrative for modern warfare. He travels thousands of miles across continents to meet a de-radicalized female member of ISIS recruited via Skype, a liberal Russian in Siberia who takes a job manufacturing "Ukrainian" news, and many others to explore the way social media has transformed the way we fight, win, and consume wars-and what this means for the world going forward. Journalist David Patrikarakos Has Reported On War Zones From The Congo To Ukraine. Yet, It Has Become Increasingly Apparent That Simultaneous Battles Are Now Being Waged On Social Media Platforms-- And This Virtual Warfare Is Only Gaining In Importance, Becoming Every Bit As Real And Often More Significant Than The Fighting On The Ground. The Traditional Concept Of War As A Clear, Military Battle Between Two Identifiable Parties Is Dying, If Not Already Dead. Instead, War Is A Clash Of Narratives, And The Line Between Conflict And Politics Has Become So Blurred As To Be Almost Indistinguishable. War In 140 Characters Explores How Social Media Has Expanded The Arena Of Conflict Into The Virtual World. Using His Unprecedented Access To Key Players, Patrikarakos Brings The Characters That Are Shaping Modern Warfare To Vivid Light. State Militaries Now Employ Social Media Warriors To Influence The Narrative Online; Paid Russian Trolls Flood The Internet With Tweets To Create A Sense Of 'authentic' Support For The Annexation Of Crimea; Isil Recruits Via Skype; Private Civilians Can Single-handedly Take On The World's Major Powers Using The Extraordinary Capabilities Of Open-source Social Media Platforms. Whether You Are A President Or A Terrorist, If You Don't Understand How To Deploy The Power Of Media Effectively, You May Win The Odd Battle, But You Will Lose A Twenty-first-century War. War In 140 Characters Provides An Essential New Narrative For Modern Warfare, Exploring How Social Media Has Transformed The Way That We Fight, Win, And Consume Wars, And What That Means For The World Going Forward.--dust Jacket Flaps. The Citizen Journalist : Stories Versus Guns -- The Soldier : The State Flounders, And Homo Digitalis Emerges -- The Officer : Militia Digitalis Takes To The Battlefield -- The Facebook Warrior 1 : The Virtual State -- The Facebook Warrior 2 : Homo Digitalis On The Battlefield -- The Troll : The Empire Strikes Back -- The Post-modern Dictator : Adventures In Unreality -- The Interpreter 1 : From The Bedroom To The Battlefield -- The Interpreter 2 : Man Versus Superpower -- The Recruit : Friends Are Close But Enemies Are Closer -- The Counterterrorist : Goliath Versus A Thousand Slingshots. David Patrikarakos. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 269-283) And Index. Text In English. "War in 140 Characters examines the role of social media and other forms of 'new media' in changing the face of modern warfare. War is, more than ever, a clash of narratives--with each state/party fighting to control the spread of information and project their narrative to the outside world. Social media has shattered traditional hierarchies between the state and its citizens, enabling the individual or networks of individuals to influence the direction of conflict to a degree previously thought impossible. State militaries now employ official Social Media warriors to influence the narrative online; in Russia, paid trolls flood the internet with pro-Russian tweets, blog posts, and comments in order to create the sense of 'authentic' support for the annexation of Crimea. Even private civilians can single-handedly alter the course of war. New media has expanded the arena of conflict into the virtual world, which is every bit as real and often more important than the fighting on the ground. Whether you are a president or a terrorist, if you don't understand how to deploy the power of media effectively you may win the odd battle but you will lose a twenty-first century war. War in 140 Characters provides a new narrative for modern warfare, exploring the way social media has transformed the way that we fight, win, and consume wars, and what that means for the world going forward."--Provided by publisher CONTENTS Cover Title Page Copyright Dedication Acknowledgments Introduction 1 The Citizen Journalist: Stories Versus Guns 2 The Soldier: The State Flounders, and Homo Digitalis Emerges 3 The Officer: Militia Digitalis Takes to the “Battlefield” 4 The Facebook Warrior 1: The Virtual State 5 The Facebook Warrior 2: Homo Digitalis on the Battlefield 6 The Troll: The Empire Strikes Back 7 The Postmodern Dictator: Adventures in Unreality 8 The Interpreter 1: From the Bedroom to the Battlefield 9 The Interpreter 2: Man Versus Superpower 10 The Recruit: Friends Are Close but Enemies Are Closer 11 The Counterterrorist: Goliath Versus a Thousand Slingshots Conclusion About the Author Praise for War In 140 Characters Notes Index Les hommes sont la chance de la terre, capables de la ciseler, d’en extraire les ressources cachées, de la métamorphoser par leur génie. La Création est achevée, le monde est prêt. Aidons-les, Zeus ! Leur enthousiasme ne demande qu’à brûler. Ainsi Prométhée parlait-il à Zeus. L’histoire qui a suivi, tout le monde la connaît, et pourtant rares sont ceux qui en mesurent la signification : avec le premier feu humain apparu sur terre, l’homme n’était plus simple créature. Prométhée avait fait de lui un créateur