This document discusses the use of social media by the military. It begins by defining key concepts like social influence, social media, weapons, and memes. It then outlines the social media landscape and how the US military and NATO are using platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and websites. The document performs a SWOT analysis of social media and identifies requirements like resources, training, and trust. It concludes that while social media is not a magic solution, it can be operationally relevant if properly analyzed, assessed, and resourced.

1. Weapons of Social Influence
An ti - G
ov
Pro - G
o v
Social Media for the Military
(C) 2011/12 by LTC U.M. Janßen, NSO/ISTAR

2. What
is
Social
Media

5. Weapons of Social Influence
Agenda
• Social influence versus … what?
• Social Media
– What it is and what it isn’t
– The Social Media Landscape
– The power of Social Media
– What’s in it for NATO and for the Military
– Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and
Threats
– Requirements
• Conclusion

6. Weapons of Social Influence
Social Media
• What’s a weapon?
• What’s social?
• What’s influence?
• What’s media?
• So what..?

8. Why should I care..?

9. Starting a Conversation
• Word of Mouth World of Mouth
– Connectivity more important than
content
– Trust to people rather than to content
– Audience will verify ‘facts’
– Officials lie
– Democratizing Communications
– A new power to consider

10. There is more in it
• Public Relations
• Customer Service
• Loyalty-building
• Collaboration
• Networking
• Thought-Leadership
• Customer Acquisition … making friends

11. Social Media and the [US] Military
US DOD Social Media Website
http://www.defense.gov/RegisteredSites/SocialMediaSites.aspx
US Army Social Media Handbook, Jan 2011
NATO ACO Dir 95-3 Social Media, Dec 2009
We - NATO, Mar 2012

12. for the Military
• The brutal simplicity of thought
• meme
• 6 principles for SUCCESs-ful
messaging
• Simple
• V.I.T.A.L. for success
•
• Unexpected
Video
• Images
Concrete
•
• Text
Credible
• Audio
• Emotional
• Links
• Stories
Debbie Weil: Social Media 101

13. Meme - Social Media Narrative
A meme is an idea that
behaves like a virus, that
moves through a
population, taking hold in
each person it infects.
Malcom Gladwell
•promulgated through the World
Wide Web
•hyperlink, video, picture,
website, hashtag, or just a word
or phrase
“google” for …
#ArabSpring
#AskWeNato
#WeAreThePopulace

14. Link Analysis and
Segmentation

15. Link Analysis and
Segmentation

16. Social Media Landscape

17. Social Media Landscape

18. Most commonly used
Debbie Weil: Social Media 101

19. Social Media in Operations

20. The grey side of using
Social Media
• Information overload IKM
• Non credible sources INTEL
• Loosing control COS/J3
– IM Plan
– Things go wrong
– OPSEC
• We must replace the delusion of
control by reality of influence.
• Sharing information is a responsibility
rather than a risk. (Gen Abrial, SACT, 2010)

21. When Social Networking
Goes Wrong

22. What Social Media is NOT
• Magic or miracle
• Expensive … compared to costs of not engaging
in Social Media
• Difficult to learn
• A military capability
• Purely a PA tool
• Subject to education or individual training in
NATO
• Considered in comprehensive operations
planning
• Properly resourced

23. Social Media SWOT Analysis
and Risk Assessment
Strengths Weaknesses
Opportunities Threats
Risk is when threat meets opportunity.

24. SWOT Analysis
An example

25. Social Media Risk Assessment
Risk is when threat meets opportunity.
Strengths Weaknesses
Opportunities Threats

26. Options for the Military
• Operational relevance!
• Active or passive
• Effective..?
• Target Audience..?
• Information gathering
• Social Engineering
• Human Network Analysis
• Deception
• Sell / share own ideas
• Get feedback

27. Requirements

28. Requirements
• DOTMLPFI
– Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership Development,
Personnel, Facilities, Interoperability
• Resources
– People
– Time
– Space / Infrastructure (static/deployable)
– $$$
• Bravery, courage, engagement, and
enthusiasm
• Education & Training
• Trust & Empowerment

29. Conclusion
• Sexy tool
• Nice to have rather than need to have
• Analysis and assessment required to
figure out operational relevance
• Effectiveness
– Challenging to measure
– Sufficient resources required
• Go ahead, see what happens!
– Shall we do it How well we do
– Risk Assessment

30. ed by
Created and present
nßen
LTC Uli Ja
Inspired by
MBE
D avid Bailey ol
tN ATO Scho
Students a G(V)
Stone and MO
LTC Rosie
Thanks to
ry
Giulia Aub
ton
Cole en Carring
ur
Chris Dufo
an
Marta Kag
Lt Col Ulrich M. JANSSEN .com
bran dinfiltration
NATO School Oberammergau om
istockphoto.c
Deputy Director ISTAR Department
SME StratCom, Mil Info Ops, PSYOPS
Janssen.ulrich@natoschool.nato.int
www.natoschool.nato.int