It has been said that a lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes. Social media and internet ad-supported business models that capitalize on capturing attention have introduced powerful technological enablers that are supercharging the targeting, dissemination and amplification of false information online. Influence operations have been quick to use these tools to manipulate and compromise freedom of thought.

Assuming these ad-based business models are here to stay, at least for now, steps must be taken to address the problematic elements that influence operators are leveraging. Remediation efforts must both prevent amplification of harmful content, and increase the risk, cost and complexity to the influence operator.

In this paper, the author describes frameworks that can be used to analyse the stages, tactics, techniques and procedures used in influence operations, and outlines the need in the United States for regulation in four areas.

Key points:

• The internet and ad-supported business models facilitate the targeting, dissemination and amplification of false information online.
• Algorithmic designs, cognitive biases and platform structures enable false information to spread faster than truth on the internet and are synergistically exploited in influence operations, compromising freedom of though.
• The United States needs to enact national data collection laws, data brokerage industry regulation, social media company oversight, regulation of third-party players facilitating disinformation, and other measures to enhance media literacy and protect the information ecosystem.