When I first picked up LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media by P.W. Singer and Emerson Brooking, I had no idea I would uncover a hidden battlefield behind every tweet, post, and share. I was in for a surprise! This book goes beyond a mere exploration of social media; it offers a comprehensive examination of the online realm, where wars are fought not with bullets but through viral content. While working on a project focused on the weaponization of social media, this book offered valuable insights that I could use in my research, making it a compelling and relevant read. It’s both hard-hitting and enlightening, presenting a radically new perspective on understanding conflict in today’s digital age as defense experts explore the intersection of warfare, politics, and social media.
Contents:
A War with Likes and Retweets: The Weaponization of Social Media
LikeWar brilliantly exposes how social media has become the new battlefield of the networked world. The authors walk us through how internet trolls shape elections, spread viral misinformation, and turn ordinary people into unexpected warriors. Whether it’s terrorists livestreaming their attacks on Twitter or nation-states waging unceasing information warfare, it’s clear: this isn’t the social media we grew up with.
The authors talk about the rise of internet trolls and how they’ve gone from spamming forums to influencing international conflicts. Yes, internet trolls miles away from the battlefield can have real consequences, and this book shows just how they manage to produce real-world casualties by spreading fake news and stoking the fires of division. The web’s darkest corners have never been so frightening.
Smartphones and Real World Casualties
Singer and Brooking paint a chilling picture of how something as simple as a smartphone app can become a weapon in this digital war. Whether it’s ISIS copying tactics from Rolling Stone or terrorists livestreaming their attacks, social media has become a key player in modern conflicts. The battlefield is no longer miles away—it’s on our phones, happening in real time.
Institutions like the digital forensic research lab play a crucial role in analyzing digital evidence and the impact of social media on modern conflicts. These apps have transformed politics and social media, making them inseparable. We see how twenty-first-century warfare isn’t just tanks and guns anymore—it’s fought through algorithms, likes, and retweets. The real-world casualties from these viral misinformation campaigns are undeniable, and the very fate of truth is at stake.
Trolls, Trolls Everywhere: How Internet Trolls Shape Elections
One of the most mind-blowing parts of LikeWar is how internet trolls—once just nuisances in forums—have become some of the unexpected warriors of our time. Individuals from the former world of online gaming have transitioned to participating in international conflicts through digital means. These trolls are now playing active roles in shaping foreign affairs, from Russian hipsters waging cyber realm warfare to ISIS jihadists acting as digital PR czars. What’s even more surprising? These trolls can manipulate common people into joining the digital front lines without them even realizing it.
Even platforms like Instagram aren’t safe. Singer and Brooking outline how Instagram tactics are used to manipulate emotions, spread viral misinformation, and disrupt international stability. The unprecedented threats posed by these tactics make it clear: we’re living in a new age of war and politics where the rules have changed, but not everyone realizes it.
The Crucial Years Ahead
As we look toward the crucial years ahead, LikeWar leaves us with serious concerns about what the future holds for both social media and the digital realm. With the explosion of fake news, viral misinformation, and internet trolls, the book serves as a wake-up call for how we engage with information in our daily lives. The new kind of warfare Singer and Brooking describe is just getting started, and its implications for international relations and even democracy itself are terrifying.
The book touches on the Atlantic Council’s role in this evolving landscape and how defense experts treat social media as a crucial aspect of national intelligence. Social media expose both truths and distortions, impacting international relations and democracy. It’s not just about securing borders anymore—it’s about securing the internet, where the most important battles of the future will be fought. For anyone working in foreign affairs, defense, or even political science, this book is a must-read.
What Makes This Book a Game-Changer?
For starters, LikeWar doesn’t hold back. It’s full of vivid examples of how the online world is shaping the real world. Whether it’s terrorists livestreaming their attacks, internet trolls shaping foreign affairs, or ISIS taking cues from Rolling Stone to fuel their PR machine, the authors highlight the bizarre and often shocking ways that social media is changing war and politics.
The book also addresses mind-bending questions about the future of warfare. What happens when viral misinformation runs rampant? How do we defend against these new threats? And how do we protect democracy in the face of such unprecedented threats? These aren’t just hypothetical concerns. As LikeWar shows, we’re already living in this new world, and we need to start preparing now.
A Global Perspective?
Now, here’s where I’d like to see more. As I worked on my project, I noticed one thing: the book heavily focuses on American politics and nation-states like Russia. Sure, the 2016 election was a turning point, but the weaponization of social media goes beyond the U.S. Traditional media played a crucial role in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, contributing to political polarization and scepticism towards established authorities. I wish there had been more information about other geographical examples, how these Twitter wars are affecting international relations, and how the previously established world of traditional conflict is completely changing. A global perspective would’ve made this New York Times bestseller even more compelling.
Final Thoughts
So, should you read LikeWar? Absolutely. This is one of those most important battles books you can’t afford to miss, especially if you’re even remotely interested in foreign affairs, social media, or how the digital realm is reshaping the world as we know it.
Whether you’re a researcher, a political science enthusiast, or just someone who spends too much time scrolling through Twitter, this book review can’t recommend LikeWar enough. It’s not just about how social media is changing war—it’s about how it’s changing everything.
In this digital landscape of ideas, Singer and Brooking tackle the mind-bending realities of modern warfare, leaving us to question just how deep the rabbit hole of Twitter wars and information warfare really goes. If you’ve ever wondered how your smartphone app can shape foreign affairs, this is the book for you.
My Rating:- ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media: Goodreads Rating: 4.28
Reviewed On:
- e-book
- Total Pages: 421
- Genre: Non-Fiction/Technology
- LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media: Emerson T. Brooking and P. W. Singer
