Global Media Project: Combating the “Information Wars”

Lecture: Global Media Project.mp4 Click to view
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First, let’s watch this 1-hour documentary on the issue of media manipulation, in “Digital Disconnect:”

Students will submit for a grade a multimedia examination that
analyzes a global problem in mass communications and its impact on
culture. The Global Media Project is using the United Nations (UN)
Sustainable Development Goals as one way to identify the global nature
of the various experiences USF offers students. Students must frame
their project in one of these areas as they intersect with globalized
media:

http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Your Assignment:

(Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Design a course, seminar, software or other media tool to educate
people about media literacy and how to consume political information in
an era where information wars and fake news are being used to interfere
with sovereign nations’ internal affairs. You do NOT have to actually
create your invention. You will answer questions below about your idea.

Background

In the United States and throughout Europe, fake news and social
media are being used to disrupt societies and elections. While Russia
has been linked to this type of activity, there are other nations
playing in this area, as well as non-state players (e.g. terror
organizations).

In Finland, the government has had a focused effort to fight back, as detailed in this Foreign Policy article (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.: Why Is Finland Able to Fend Off Putin’s Information War_ – Foreign Policy.pdf (make sure you read the entire article)

“The best way to respond is less by
correcting the information, and more about having your own positive
narrative and sticking to it,” Jed Willard, director of the Franklin
Delano Roosevelt Center for Global Engagement at Harvard, told Foreign Policy. Willard, who is currently working for the Swedish government, was hired by Finnish officials to help them develop a public diplomacy program (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. to understand and identify why false information goes viral and how to counter propaganda.

That initiative started at the top. In October 2015, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto took the first step, when he acknowledged (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. that information warfare is real for Finland, and said that it was the duty of every citizen to combat it. In January 2016, the
prime minister’s office enrolled 100 officials in a program across
several levels of the Finnish government to identify and understand the
spread of disinformation based on Willard’s advice.

National security specialist Catherine Theohary wrote (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.:

Social media is used as a tool of
information warfare—a weapon of words that influences the hearts and
minds of a target audience, and a weapon of mass disruption that can
have effects on targets in the physical world. Low-cost, easily
accessible social media tools act as a force multiplier by increasing
networking and organizing capabilities. The ability to rapidly
disseminate graphic images and ideas to shape the public narrative
transforms social media into a strategic weapon in the hands of
terrorists, insurgent groups, or governments engaged in conflict.

The Questions

In no more than three pages total, answer the following questions:

1. Given what you know about Mass Communication’s impact on
   culture and society from this course, and knowing what you know about
   the history and development of the various media, describe how the
   Information Wars relate to previous media problems and issues, and how
   is it unique from them? Cite at least one example from the text or from
   online research you do. (For instance, book censorship as outline in
   Baran.)
2. How can the Information Wars be fought with peaceful means? What information or research supports your answer?
3. If you were to design something to combat Information Warfare,
   what would it be? (Some examples: A computer program to ferret out
   social media bots; requiring real people’s IDs be used to engage in
   information online; an educational program for public schools; an app
   that somehow grades information; etc. Extra points for creative but
   realistic answers.) How would it attack the problem? Is your assessment
   backed up by any research or information about it being done anywhere in
   the world (other than the already cited Finland)?
4. Using the UN Sustainable Development Goals linked above, which one
   of the goal areas is impacted by this problem and by your solution? How
   does your solution relate to one of those goals? (In each icon on the UN
   website page http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. you
   can click on it and get the individual area of concern, and then click
   on the Goals Tab to find more detailed U.N. goals that you should cite.)

To Complete this Assignment:

1. Answer all four questions above and number them, please.
2. Limit your submission to 3 pages. I am not seeking a term paper. Concise and targeted answers vs. bluster and BS.
3. 12 point font, preferably Times New Roman. 1.5 to double spaced.
4. Put your name, MMC 3602 and Semester at top of page. File name: YourFullName_Global Media Project_S18.pdf
5. Convert your paper to PDF and upload to this assignment page.

Please consult the grading rubric carefully to ensure you include all the critical analysis that I am looking for.