MEDIA AS A NON-MILITARY METHOD OF INFLUENCE IN A HYBRID WARFARE

Abstract

The presented article is devoted to the analysis of non-military methods of influence in a hybrid warfare. It is indicated that in the hybrid war, along with regular and irregular military actions, technologies of creation of pseudo-reality are used, which create the «picture of reality» desirable for the aggressor in the minds of consumers of information. Media become the most powerful tool for such a non-military method and under current conditions media are used as the newest information weapon of mass destruction, capable of shaping and transforming public opinion in the direction desired by the aggressor. Non-military methods of hybrid warfare can equal the technological superiority of any army; in the decision-making process non-military methods are able to shift the emphasis from the military to ethical and moral spheres. As a result, the situation of chaos is created, when it is difficult to determine the winner and to differentiate between the truth and lies. Among the most commonly used manipulative media technologies are manipulations of sociological surveys, themes, time, agenda, guests. The factors that allow the use of media as weapon in Ukraine are determined.

It is noted that at each stage of the hybrid warfare specific methods of media influence are applied, which contribute to the achievement of the strategic objectives of the aggressor. In particular, hacking attacks, media viruses, media activism, Twitter-storm, fake news, and information noise are part of an arsenal of modern, powerful information weapon. At the stage of the latent deployment of the conflict, they form a favorable information and psychological field for further aggression; at the stage of launching the aggression, they are a means of destabilizing society and justifying aggression with noble goals of protecting the «aggrieved»; at the stage of open aggression they provide effective information support for the legitimization of official military actions, creating an image of the liberator for the aggressor.

The article emphasizes that the threat of negative media influence, in particular during the hybrid warfare, can be minimazed by introducing media self-censorship, raising media literacy of the population and adhering to national legislation.