The Weapon of Mass Deception
Information technology and the internet have changed the nature of warfare in the present era. Amazing inventions, which were impossible to imagine until the nineteenth century, have become a reality in the twenty-first century and have become an integral part of our social life. One such Invention, or innovation, is social media. The rise of fast Internet technologies and social media has transformed the world. Prominent platforms such as Twitter, WhatsApp. Facebook and Instagram have become not only a source of information but also the most effective medium one can use to spread one's viewpoint across a wide audience. Another aspect of social media is that it has become a pewerful tool to change the nature of warfare in the fast-changing world, leading to the spread of misleading reports, tala news, and propaganda. Pakistan, being a victim of this warfare, needs to adopt a multifaceted approach that encompasses legal, technological, educational and international cooperation measures. By doing so. Pakistan can minimize the risks of 5GW attacks while preserving the fundamental human right of access to the internet.
War is as old as human civilization. With their arrival on the Earth, humans started using things to fulfil their needs, leading to competition among them on every front. With the passage of time, as humans developed and innovated in other things, they also introduced new methods and techniques in wars. The philosophy behind every war has been to achieve the same ends of control and dominance. To achieve these ends, "war by all means" has always been the prime strategy. Owing to these strategies, different generations of war came out in different periods of time. Today's era is considered the era of fifth-generation warfare.
Generations of Wars
'Generations' means different methods, tools, techniques, and policies adopted in wars. Before understanding what a fifth-generation war is, it is important to understand the previous four generations of war.
1. First-generation wars
First-generation wars were physical wars that were fought only on a small scale between two armies. They were fought away from the human settlements in which civilians were not involved. only armies fought face-to-face with swords, horses and manpower. involving an orderly and organized system of waging wars. First- generation warfare tactics included fighting in lines and columns; horses, arrows and swords were used as arms in these battles. The commander of military forces was also present on the battleground to lead his force from the front. The Napoleonic Battles (1803-1815) are included in the first-generation wars. Napoleon fought his battles at the start of the 19th century against the European powers. The American War of Independence (1775-1783) was fought by American states against the British Empire and it is also included in first-generation warfare.
2. Second-generation wars
With the invention of technology. swords were replaced with advanced arms such as machine guns and rifles. In second-generation war, an enemy attack was possible from a distance. They were mainly fought on borders and civilians were also hit by these wars. World War I is believed to be the best example of second-generation wars. The use of radio transmission helped to extend the military method even further. The artillery and ammunition became more significant. The American Civil War from 1861 to 1865 was fought between the different independent states of America. This civil war is included in second-generation warfare. Furthermore, World War I (1914-1918), which was fought between the Allies and Central Powers, is also an example of the second generation of wars. The element of surprise attack was also used in this generation of warfare.
3. Third-generation wars
In the third-generation wars, more aggressive battles with tanks. aircraft support and infantry on the battleground were fought. The loss of civilian population increased due to the involvement of the air force. The Germans first used third- generation warfare tactics and strategies in World War II (1939-1945). The atomic disaster that took place in the two Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is often regarded as an important moment in WWII the event marked a significant shift in favour of the Allied forces. The 1965 war between Pakistan and India is also considered third-generation warfare. The use of media, especially radio and newspapers, was seen in this generation, where it was used to spread false news and increase the popularity of its own army.
4. Fourth-generation wars
Next comes the fourth-generation war, in which the use of psychological, religious, economic, political and propaganda warfare, along with conventional war methods, was rampant. The word fourth- generation war was first used by William S. Lind and a panel of United States defence analysts in an article The changing face of war: Into the Fourth Generation," issued by the Marine Corps Gazette in 1989. It was characterized by the blurring of lines between war and politics, soldiers and civilians, peace and conflict.
The most dangerous changes in the world came due to this type of warfare. This is the generation of warfare which is difficult to separate from peace and war, it is also tough to separate a fighter and an ordinary citizen in fourth-generation warfare, instead of developing military troops in another country, the countries provide indirect political and economic aid to the insurgents in the adversary state and use them against their own country: The historical event known as the Kao Plan involved India providing military and economic aid to the "Mukti Bahini" in their fight against Pakistan. Media was used for propaganda and to create confusion among things. It mainly targeted civilians. Civilian groups were trained and funded to fight against a trained army of the state. Proxy wars are also a feature of fourth- generation wars. The same technique is called hybrid war. The India-Pakistan War of 1971 is a notable example of a hybrid war. Cold War in general and wars in Afghanistan and Vietnam in particular are considered typical examples of fourth-generation wars
5. Fifth-generation wars
Then comes the latest, the fifth-generation war which is a new form of conflict characterized by the use of technology, misinformation and psychological operations to achieve political objectives. It uses all possible techniques of previous generations, especially hybrid war, with the addition of the latest tools and techniques like media, misinformation and technology like artificial intelligence. It is also called the war of perceptions and information. This type of warfare is asymmetrical and non-linear, and it challenges traditional notions of warfare and national security. One of the key features of fifth- generation warfare is the use of the internet and social media to spread propaganda and disinformation. Its ultimate target is the uneducated young generation, which has little knowledge regarding the use and misuse of modern social media technology. The scholars dealing with the fifth-generation war focus more on the irregularity of modern strategy. The war does not stand only for military or strategic goals; it usually holds some other goals like economic, religious and political. It is not necessarily the states that strike the others in this asymmetric warfare; sometimes, non-state actors like intelligence agencies and various organizations may also participate in such activities for their vested interests.
The Element of Social Media
In 5GW, social media is a primary tool to target the minds of people and is used as a powerful weapon for mass deception. Changing the perception of the people involves extensive propaganda campaigns based on misinformation and deception about the ideological social, economic and security aspects of the state through social media Social media's moral and political dimensions in the SGW are being used effectively today. One of the practical uses of social media in the SGW was substantiated in the form of the Arab Spring. Thinkers consider it a change in the global map, replicating the division after WWII. It began in December 2010 schen a Tunisian street vendor. Mohamed Bouazizi, set himself on fire to protest the arbitrary seizing of his vegetable stand by police over his failure to obtain a permit. Social media was actively utilized in applying 5GW throughout the world. Street protests started in Tunisia and President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali Abidine to Saudi Arabia. This move of social media continued in five neighbouring countries Libya, Yemen, Syria, Egypt and Morocco as well.
The case of Pakistan
A fifth-generation war is one where non-state actors take on the state, where information spreads quickly through the internet, and where military engagement and the protocols of war as they were drawn up after both world wars are now mutating into something more amorphous and less easily defeated. This kind of war is on full tilt in Pakistan; our very existence is threatened by it as the country is a victim of 5GW owing to its neighbour and some powers hostile to our country.India is engaged in a massive campaign of 'fifth- generation warfare' to obstruct Pakistan's road to prosperity. A huge number of Indians use social media to spread misinformation about Pakistan. For instance, the Indian government spread fake news of the Pulwama attack to its nation in February 2019. The Indian government even claimed to shoot down the Pakistan Air Force fighter craft F-16, which was never proven. Moreover, the explosion in a Karachi building in 2020 was framed as a "civil war in Pakistan in India. The report "Indian Chronicles", published by the Brussels-based organisation EU DisinfoLab, which meticulously exposed a network of 500 fake media outlets that India had been using for 15 years to portray a negative image of Pakistan in the European Union and the United Nations should be eve opening for the nation The way forward Keeping in view the genesis of the above connotation, there is a dire need to tackle the present imbroglio in a synergetic manner so as to address the issue in totality. The trony of fifth-generation warfare can be tackled efficiently by adopting modern means, methods and strategies First, the establish- ment of global monitoring authority to wage fifth-generation warfare is essential for the curtailment of future threats Moreover, we must adopt workable and concrete strategies by upgrading our technology, keeping in view our strengths, weaknesses and opportunities so that cyber attacks are prevented effectively Furthermore, opinion leaders and religious propagators need to step forward for the assurance of global peace, prosper- ity and progress. Finally, we need a serious, coherent and integrated understanding of mega problems and mega opportunities to identify and implement strategies on the scale necessary to address the prevailing challenge of fifth- generation warfare
Conclusion
Fifth-generation warfare is a war of misinformation and propaganda fought with technology. The invention of fast-track communication applications like Facebook, Twitter, etc. has allowed adversaries to use them for communication. sharing data and spreading fake information in other countries for their political objectives. Furthermore, the technology used to spread misinformation and propaganda is difficult to counter. Propaganda warfare is detrimental as it spreads chaos, fear, and anarchy in the state. The Pakistani nation is divided on the basis of language, religious sects, race and economic class. The 5GW poses different challenges to Pakistan regarding political, social, economic, ethnic and religious issues. Pakistan has a great position among world powers due to its geostrategic location, security alliances, nuclear capability and relations with China. The Government of Pakistan needs to spread awareness among people to understand the 5GW threats. By launching campaigns in educational institutes and educating the masses on false news and propaganda campaigns, which are being spread through social media platforms, the people may become able to counter the threats to national cohesion.The future of the nation rests on our being able to defeat these nefarious forces conducting an all-out assault on our borders, our institutions, and our very way of life.
Article by Rannra
0 Comments