Abstract
State and non-state actors leverage social media as a tool for hybrid warfare strategies. It becomes a psycho-political weapon aimed at the adversary's vulnerabilities exhibited in socio-politico-economic fault lines. Twitter, like other social media platforms, is being increasingly used to spread disinformation. Apart from verified accounts and social media teams, boss can be used to enhance a challenging situation for their own benefit. The challenge that many data analysts have is not finding the data only, but sorting through it to segregate fake from the real. Pakistan has been targeted continuously by disinformation. This paper discusses how influence campaigns have been waged over digital platforms in recent years, using Pakistan as a case study to highlight one of the existing fault lines and discuss opportunities in the context of the growing role of social media in modern warfare. It also tries to address the role of belligerent state actors in shaping the psychological makeup of democratic population. This research provides analysis in to the worldwide influence operations and their role in international politics. It also provides insightful examinations of how democracies all over the world can overcome foreign manipulations. Finally, it is intended to aid analysts, scholars and policymakers for better understanding of information warfare in the context of cyber conflict.
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