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Origin and Development of Cognitive Warfare Concept
Context:
Zeng Huafeng from the National University of Defense and Technology (NUDT) introduced the term ‘national cognitive security’.
Cognitive Security
Cognitive security, often referred to as COGSEC, is an emerging field that focuses on protecting decision-making processes from adversarial influences, particularly in the context of social media and information warfare.
Historical Context
- The concept can be traced back to ancient military strategies, notably in Chinese military thought. As early as 2070 BC, Chinese strategists (Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War”) recognized the importance of psychological manipulation in warfare, coining the term “war of attacking the heart” to describe tactics aimed at undermining an opponent’s morale and will to fight.
- The formal academic discourse around cognitive warfare began in the early 20th century. J.F.C. Fuller introduced the term “psychological warfare” in 1920, highlighting its potential to replace conventional military engagements with strategies focused on manipulating perceptions and beliefs. This shift became particularly relevant during the Cold War, where both the United States and the Soviet Union employed disinformation and psychological tactics to influence public opinion and decision-making processes.
- In contemporary contexts, cognitive warfare has evolved significantly due to advancements in cognitive psychology and the rise of digital platforms. The advent of cyberspace has amplified the capacity for disinformation campaigns, allowing state and non-state actors to exploit cognitive biases on a massive scale.
Importance of Cognitive Security
- Enhanced Threat Detection and Response: By learning from past incidents, cognitive security systems can predict and mitigate future attacks, enhancing overall security posture.
- Automated Decision-Making: Cognitive security tools can autonomously assess threats and decide on actions such as blocking or quarantining them.
- Improved Incident Response: By minimising the time required to detect and respond to threats, cognitive security helps organisations reduce the impact of cyber incidents.
- Adaptive Learning: Cognitive security systems continuously learn from new data, which enhances their accuracy over time.
- Protection Against Manipulation: Cognitive security also addresses the challenges posed by adversarial tactics aimed at manipulating public perception and decision-making processes.
- Safeguarding Public Trust: Cognitive security plays a critical role in countering misinformation campaigns that seek to undermine this trust, thereby supporting democratic processes and societal stability.
- Comprehensive Defense Mechanism: Cognitive security represents a shift from traditional cybersecurity measures by integrating cognitive science with technology.
Ethical Considerations
- Manipulation vs. Autonomy: Cognitive warfare often relies on disinformation and psychological manipulation, which can undermine individual autonomy and informed decision-making.
- Justification of Means: It raises concerns about the potential normalisation of unethical practices in pursuit of political objectives. The concept of “dirty hands” emerges here, where actions deemed morally questionable might be rationalised for perceived greater goods.
- Attribution Challenges: The difficulty in attributing responsibility for disinformation campaigns can lead to a lack of transparency and accountability, further eroding trust in democratic institutions.
- Countermeasures vs. Values: Defending against cognitive warfare often requires measures that may conflict with democratic values, such as freedom of speech and open discourse.
More on News:
- China’s Academy of Military Sciences (AMS) published a book on ‘mind superiority’, outlining the PLA’s strategy of using psychological warfare to dominate cognitive thinking and decision-making.
- The goal is to gain control of the enemy’s cognitive domain by weakening their will to fight and creating decision-making doubts, aiming to ‘win without fighting’.
Differences Between Cognitive Warfare and Other Non-Kinetic Warfare Forms:
- Cognitive vs Propaganda Warfare: Propaganda controls information flow to soldiers, while cognitive warfare shapes interpretation and response, targeting the general public.
- Cognitive vs Cyber Warfare: Cyber warfare attacks information systems, whereas cognitive warfare uses social media to shape perceptions.
- Cognitive vs Psychological Warfare: Psychological warfare affects soldiers’ psychology, while cognitive warfare targets the cognition of an entire population.
- Cognitive vs Public Opinion Warfare: Public opinion warfare uses mass communication, but cognitive warfare leverages interpersonal and group communication.
Cognitive Warfare in China’s Strategic Framework:
- Suggestions for Improving Cognitive Warfare Capabilities: Meng Haohan and Lan Peixuan from NUDT propose enhancing strategic communication, rejecting cognitive offensives, and integrating cognitive, physical, and information domains.
- National Cognitive Security: The security of China’s cognitive domain focuses on protecting social cognition against external interference using AI, deep fakes, and social media bots.
- Precautionary Measures for Cognitive Security: China should strengthen ideological positions, resist ‘historical nihilism’, and enhance cultural identity. It must also engage in global cyberspace governance and develop technologies to secure cognitive defence.
The Role of the Metaverse in Cognitive Warfare:
- Metaverse as a Cognitive Warfare Tool: Identified as a new frontier in future cognitive warfare, the metaverse can shape human cognitive thinking using a blend of virtual and real-world technologies.
- Technological Advantage in Cognitive Warfare: The metaverse’s integration of augmented reality, AI, blockchain, and communication technologies gives it a strategic role in cognitive warfare.
China’s Response to Cognitive Attacks:
- Safeguarding Social Cognition: With the rise of digital platforms, Chinese leadership under Xi Jinping saw the need to protect social cognition from external narratives, particularly from the West.
- Wary of Colour Revolutions: The Chinese government remains vigilant against ‘Colour Revolutions’ that could be instigated through cognitive warfare.
- Countering US Cognitive Warfare: China accuses the US of spreading false information in an organised manner as part of cognitive warfare against China.
Chinese Propaganda and Information Control Mechanisms:
- Platforms Influencing Public Opinion: Social media platforms like Weibo and Bilibili play a role in influencing domestic public opinion, especially among Chinese youth.
- Weaponisation of Think Tanks: Chinese analysts highlight the dangers of foreign think tanks influencing domestic narratives, emphasising the need to develop China-centric think tanks.
Strengthening Cognitive Defence through Military and Civil Research:
- PLA’s Use of Virtual Reality in Training: The PLA uses VR technology in military training to enhance soldiers’ cognitive and physical capabilities without real-world risk.
- Government Support for Cognitive Science Research: The Chinese government encourages universities and private companies like Tencent and Baidu to develop cognitive technologies, with focus areas including AI, brain-computer interfaces, and natural language processing (NLP).
- Military Applications of NLP: NLP-powered technologies like ChatGPT are seen as beneficial in intelligence gathering and battlefield management, enhancing real-time decision-making.