THE WEAPONIZATION
OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Presented by Lydia Snider
SocialOps.tech

“The conscious and intelligent
manipulation of the organized
habits and opinions of the
masses is an important
element in democratic
society.
Those who manipulate this
unseen mechanism of society
constitute an invisible
government which is the true
ruling power of our country.”
Edward L. Bernays

The ultimate
propaganda weapon
was created in the
private sector as a
marketing tool.
Social media brought Bernays’ work full circle.

Hack the vote – penetrate election machines and
change votes
Hack the voters – spread false information
designed to shape their perceptions and influence
their choices on election day
Hack the mainframe of democracy itself –
inflaming social tensions and showing doubts
about the integrity of the electoral process
ensuring that whoever wins struggles to govern.

THE WEAPONS OF
INFORMATION
WARFARE

Dashboard.securingdemocracy.org

Red Flag

Vet content – triangulate
with independent reliable
sources
Check your emotions
Step out of divisive engagement
Make developing digital
resilience skills a priority

SocialOps.techVISIT
FOR INFORMATION
TO COUNTER SOCIAL MEDIA
WARFARE TACTICS