The article emphasizes the need for the UK to enhance its ‘cognitive resilience’ against disinformation, likening the current information landscape to a battlefield. It references the establishment of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in 2015 as a successful model of unified response to cyber threats and argues for a similar consolidated approach to combat disinformation, a key aspect of state-sponsored hybrid warfare.
The article outlines how nations like Russia and China integrate information warfare into their security strategies, using AI to create misleading narratives and fake personas on social media at scale. Notably, campaigns manipulate authentic information to distort public perception, making it difficult for traditional media regulation and intelligence agencies to effectively respond.
Despite awareness of the threat, the UK’s institutional response remains fragmented across various sectors. This division was highlighted during the 2024 Southport attacks and the Summer Race Riots, where false information rapidly incited violence but no single entity could coordinate an effective response. Ultimately, the article calls for a comprehensive, unified institutional strategy to address these growing challenges related to disinformation and misinformation.
