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2 February 2015

Cyber warfare: Army seeks Twitter troops and Facebook warriors

By Olivia Solon
31 January 2015
 
A crack team of social media specialists is being formed within the British Army to engage in cyber warfare.

The 77th Brigade and they will focus on non-lethal psychological operations and using social networks like Facebook and Twitter to control the narrative and fight "in the information age".

They will try to develop "means of shaping behaviour through the use of dynamic narratives" and will also provide training and support to local security forces.

The 1,500-strong unit will fight against the sort of propaganda peddled so effectively by terrorist organisations like ISIS.

The head of the army - General Sir Nick Carter - thinks the radical unit is required to deal with the "asymmetric" battlegrounds of the 21st century, where the rules of engagement vary dramatically between enemies.

Senior military personnel believe that ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Iraq show that the information war is just as critical as battles fought with weapons.

It will be based near Newbury and is seeking new recruits with experience in journalism and social media, starting in spring.

The new unit has been named after the legendary Chindits who fought in Burma in World War II. These soldiers were known for a “spirit of innovation” and daring missions as they operated deep behind enemy lines, targeting the Japanese.

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