The world we live in has long ceased to be just a battleground for territory or resources. Now the main struggle is for people’s consciousness, for what we believe, what we consider to be true and what values we are guided by. Information warfare is not just a new term in the world of politics or technology, it is an invisible battle that defines our present and future.
On the level with obvious and dangerous combat actions, there is also a struggle where there are no weapons, tanks or soldiers, but it does not become less dangerous. This is a battle with our consciousness, and the battles that go on here have a defining effect on the reality we see every day. Information wars are not a conspiracy theory or science fiction fantasy, but our new reality. In a world where information has become a weapon, it’s not just about what you know, but how and what you use that knowledge for.
Every day we are faced with information attacks – through the news, social networks, even in conversations with friends. Manipulations, fakes and misinformation aim to undermine our trust, destroy the stability of societies and create chaos. No guns are fired in this war, but the impact of this struggle can be even more devastating than traditional military conflicts. Therefore, it is important to understand that how we respond to information threats today determines what our world will be like tomorrow.
A reality where truth is not a fact, but a choice
Today, information wars have become the main tool of geopolitical influence, social conflicts, and even personal manipulation. Fake news, disinformation, and propaganda are so ingrained in our information reality that they often masquerade as true data. However, this isn’t just a battle for data—it’s a battle for control of consciousness.
Every day we come across thousands of messages, only a fraction of which are true. The rest are weapons in the information war, where the goal is not only to manipulate facts, but also to shape a new reality in which the truth becomes blurred and lies appear convincing.
Information war has no clear beginnings and ends. It continues constantly, its methods are improved, and weapons become more and more effective. In modern realities, when everyone has access to the Internet, we become not just consumers of information, but its active distributors. Every like, comment or repost can become an element of an information attack, even if you don’t suspect it. And one such fake news, spread quickly on social networks, can reach millions of people, create panic or push them to wrong decisions. Hundreds of thousands of people can draw conclusions that will change their lives or even affect the political situation in the entire region, thanks to just a few minutes of exposure to misinformation.
As the results of research and surveys prove, many Ukrainians suffer from the inability to distinguish fake information from real events. It is likely that insufficient media literacy and outright distrust of traditional sources of information have hindered the critical thinking of modern people. In addition, the general social tension from the war and fatigue from constant negativity in social networks adds fuel to the fire.
For data According to a USAID-Internews study, at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, only 14% of Ukrainians could distinguish between real and fake news. As the hostilities progressed, the population became more aware of the need to question the information they were consuming.
For by the results According to the InMind study, 84% of respondents are aware of the existence of disinformation materials. Able to recognize at least one false news – 78% of respondents. At the same time, only 8% of respondents can correctly identify all news with disinformation. It is worth noting that awareness of the services that can be used to verify the authenticity of materials has increased among the population. But 65% of respondents reported that they have no actual experience of using them.
The spread of false information is gaining momentum every year. Yes, 67% of Americans report encountering fake news on social networks. Currently, the situation has developed in such a way that only 35% of people around the world can claim that they completely trust the news distributed in the Internet space. According to surveys, 30% to 45% of people around the world report that they have witnessed false information, especially on such sensitive topics as politics or the war in Ukraine. The USA, Slovakia and the Philippines turned out to be the countries where the largest amount of fake news is concentrated. Tackling this requires a multi-pronged effort from governments, the media and citizens, with over 30% of respondents believing that the media bear the primary responsibility for the credibility of information.
Historical experience of the emergence and conduct of information wars
Information wars, despite their modern interpretation, have a long history that dates back to ancient times. Throughout history, from ancient Greece to the Cold War, information control and manipulation have been key tools in political, military, and ideological warfare. Even in ancient times, leaders of various countries used information as a tool of influence. For example, in Ancient Greece and Rome, orators, philosophers, and politicians understood that control over public opinion was the basis of political power. Greek city-states resorted to spreading propaganda myths, legends, and rhetorical speeches to influence the population and gain support in wars. During the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta, both sides actively used propaganda to attract as much support as possible and demoralize the opponent. Legends about the heroism of one’s own soldiers and exaggeration of enemy defeats played an important role in raising morale and shaping public opinion.
In the Middle Ages, religious propaganda became the key means of informational influence. The church had enormous power and control over the dissemination of information. She used preachers and religious texts to shape people’s minds by manipulating fears and beliefs.
The Crusades became one of the most vivid examples of early religious propaganda. The Church actively used propaganda to convince European monarchs and ordinary people of the need to fight the “infidels” in the Holy Land. Sermons and church messages played an important role in mobilizing thousands of people to participate in religious wars.
With the invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johann Gutenberg, the dissemination of information began to take on a larger scale. This technology made it possible to create and distribute huge numbers of brochures, leaflets and books, which significantly accelerated information wars.
One of the first examples of mass information warfare was the spread of Martin Luther’s Protestant ideas in 1517. His 95 theses quickly spread throughout Europe thanks to printing. This undermined the power of the Catholic Church, leading to a large-scale religious and political crisis. Luther and his supporters used printed materials to discredit opponents and promote their ideas, which became a vivid example of information warfare.
In the 18th century, with the development of newspapers and mass communications, information wars gained special influence. During the American Revolution (1775-1783) and the French Revolution (1789-1799), revolutionaries actively used newspapers, pamphlets, and leaflets to spread the ideas of freedom, equality, and the fight against tyranny. This made it possible to mobilize broad sections of the population to support revolutionary movements and discredit the ruling elites.
An important stage in information wars was the development of nationalism in the 19th century. During the Napoleonic Wars and other national conflicts, leaders used the idea of national pride as a powerful propaganda tool to rally people to military action and unite nations against a common enemy.
The 20th century became an era of rapid development of mass communications and, accordingly, information wars. Radio, television and film became the main means of disseminating propaganda, which was used in two world wars and during the Cold War.
World War I (1914-1918) was the first global conflict where information was used as a strategic resource. The governments of the participating countries actively created propaganda posters, films and radio programs to maintain fighting spirit and mobilize the population. They also used disinformation to reduce enemy morale.
The Second World War (1939-1945) raised information warfare to a new level. Nazi Germany, using the ideas of Joseph Goebbels, built propaganda on the idea of national superiority and demoralization of opponents. The Soviet Union and its allies also used mass media to support morale, spread ideological messages, and disinformation the enemy.
During the Cold War (1947-1991), information warfare between the USA and the USSR became the main tool of global confrontation. Both sides actively used propaganda to spread the ideology of capitalism and communism respectively in different parts of the world. Radio “Voice of America” and Soviet “Pravda” acted as symbols of this information confrontation. Both sides also waged disinformation campaigns aimed at undermining each other’s political systems.
The development of the Internet, social networks and global communications in the 21st century accelerated the development of information wars, bringing them to a more advanced level. Now, misinformation spreads instantly, reaching millions of people through social media, online media, and hacking attacks.
The history of information wars demonstrates that control over information has always been a powerful tool of government. From ancient orators to modern cyber operations, influencing people’s minds through information flows is a decisive factor in shaping political realities, public opinion, and even the outcome of wars. Modern technologies have made information wars even more dangerous, so their study and understanding are more important than ever.
Experience of foreign countries in conducting information wars
Modern foreign countries well understand the importance of information warfare as a key element of national security. In recent decades, states such as the United States, China, Great Britain, and Israel have actively developed strategies for conducting information operations, using the latest technologies to protect their interests or influence other countries.
The US has a long history of information warfare, dating back to the Cold War, when propaganda and psychological operations were important tools in the confrontation with the Soviet Union. Today, the United States is focused on combating cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns aimed at undermining trust in government institutions and democratic processes.
One of the most famous cases is Russia’s interference in the 2016 US presidential election. Social media campaigns that spread fake news and divided American society have become a new kind of threat to democracy. In response, the US has created counter-disinformation strategies that involve cooperation between government agencies, private companies and social networks to identify and neutralize hostile information attacks.
China is approaching information warfare through tight control of the information space within the country and conducting operations outside its borders. Internally, China is investing in a large system of online censorship and propaganda aimed at creating a positive image of the state among the population and suppressing any criticism.
Internationally, China is actively using its economic power and media tools such as China Global Television Network (CGTN) and Xinhua to advance its interests and change the world’s narrative. China also uses cyber espionage tactics to obtain critical information from other nations and companies, undermining the economic security of competitors.
Israel is one of the world leaders in cyber security and cyber warfare. This country has created powerful cyber units, such as Unit 8200, which specialize in intelligence, critical infrastructure protection and information attacks. Israeli special services actively use cyber operations to gather intelligence and neutralize threats.
One of the most famous examples of Israeli information operations is the Stuxnet virus, which was designed to sabotage Iran’s nuclear program. These cyber weapons demonstrate how effectively information technology can be used to achieve strategic goals without direct military intervention.
Great Britain is also actively engaged in the fight against information threats. After detecting attempts to interfere in the Brexit referendum and election processes, the country developed a comprehensive cyber defense system that includes threat monitoring, information security and the fight against fakes.
Britain has created special units to combat disinformation, including the “77th Brigade”, which specializes in information operations and social media work to detect and counter hostile campaigns.
The experience of foreign countries in conducting information wars demonstrates that information has become one of the most important tools of modern geopolitics. Control over information flows allows countries to manipulate public opinion, undermine political systems and influence international relations. In today’s world, successfully countering information attacks requires a comprehensive approach that includes the cooperation of governments, businesses and society.
Strategies of Ukraine in countering the information war as an example of imitation
Fighting the Russian Federation on all fronts, Ukraine has shown that it is capable not only of defending itself in an information war, but also of counterattacking. Currently, the experience and strategies of Ukraine have become an example for European countries, as reported by international experts.
On the basis of research by the American analytical organization RAND Corporation, the main strategies of Ukraine in the fight against disinformation and propaganda were studied, and 11 key lessons for the United States and allied countries were formulated.
Among the effective tools for combating information warfare, developed by the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security of Ukraine, the following are distinguished:
- “prebanking” – a strategy of warning society and the international community about possible information attacks even before they occur;
- the power of partnership is the delivery of truthful information in cooperation with governmental and non-governmental organizations;
- protection against local disinformation campaigns of the Russian Federation. The Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security conducts training for civil servants and local activists on the frontline and occupied territories in order to teach them to recognize Russian propaganda and convey the necessary information to the population;
- “one voice” policy. The Ukrainian military closely cooperates with state institutions and creates communication narratives together.
The creation of a single information resource has also become important Dovidka.info, which is a reliable source of verified information for the population and foreign citizens. This resource contains all the current and proven security advice, which is important in countering misinformation and panic-mongering by the enemy.
In today’s world, where information has become the most powerful weapon, information warfare is no longer just an additional tool – it is the main front of the struggle. We live in an era when words, not bullets, can change the course of history, when fake news and manipulation undermine belief in the truth, when political systems can be destroyed with a simple “click” on social networks. Today, our beliefs, our values, our freedom of choice are at stake.
Now, when each of us is on the front lines of this invisible war, it is important to learn how to perceive information critically. We must become more cautious and not take everything we see on the Internet as pure truth. Checking sources, analyzing facts, and critical thinking are our main tools in this fight.
We must understand that each of us is a participant in this war. And everyone is responsible for what they spread and what they believe. Information hygiene is becoming as important as physical security. Information wars will not stop. They will only intensify, and their influence on our lives will become greater and greater. But the future depends on how we defend our thoughts, beliefs and values. If we allow misinformation to take over our consciousness, we risk losing control of our lives.
