The proliferation of misinformation and the emergence of echo chambers in the online environment pose significant challenges to modern democracies, directly impacting public opinion and social behaviors. This study focuses on the analysis of a Facebook group centered around a prominent Romanian political figure, boasting 93,800 members and averaging ten daily posts. Using advanced machine learning and AI-based hate speech detection, the study uncovers systematic echo chamber construction and the amplification of misinformation. The findings emphasize the influence of online echo chambers on public opinion and underscore the need to maintain information integrity in the media landscape and communication. This research has important implications for scholars, policymakers, and media practitioners, indicating the critical need to address the challenges posed by misinformation and echo chambers in the online environment.
The terrorist attack on the 11th of September, 2001, marked the change in the West's perception of the Middle East and vice versa. Followed by the US military presence in the Middle East, this event contributed to the development of the means of terrorist actions around the world and the popularization of jihad. The hostile attitude of the West thus succeeded in maintaining the state of tension between the two spaces. Over time, jihadist and terrorist groups have been joined by members originating from the West who were convinced by the importance of the "missions" they later undertook. In the present paper, we will focus on the transposition and continuation of hostilities in both geographic and cyber spaces, with reference even to the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Known in Antiquity as the Pontus Euxinus, the Black Sea has been the bridge between European and Eastern civilizations since ancient times. Possessing a multi-varied mosaic of cultures, the Black Sea area has facilitated over the centuries, both the development of commercial and political relations and the maintenance and production of conflicts, being like the Sword of Damocles. Located at the intersection of three security zones (Euro-Atlantic, Russian, and Eastern), the Black Sea is currently a vulnerable space in terms of security. Heir to Byzantine culture, most of the riparian states have a complicated internal and external policy, being caught between the idealism of the Western world and the realism of the Eastern European space. At the same time, the revisionism of the Russian Federation and Turkey in terms of foreign policy will also mean a change in the dynamics of the relations between the states bordering the Black Sea, which could result either in its return to the status of a Russian lake or in a division of the spheres of influence between the Russian Federation and Turkey. In this sense, in order to analyze the future security dynamics of the riparian states, we used the theory of the regional security complex, which we consider very appropriate in our study of the Black Sea region.
This study systematically delves into the intricacies of crime reporting by mass media in post-COVID Nigeria, shedding light on its profound impact and intensity. Through meticulous archival methods, historical editions of The Guardian and Punch newspapers were analyzed over three years. The findings highlight a notable emphasis on crimes against individuals, such as murder and assault, compared to other categories like financial and drug-related crimes. Over 4,093 crime incidents were reported, with crimes against persons dominating in 2021 and 2022. The study underscores the need for nuanced crime reporting and advocates for substantive engagement through editorials and analyses. By fostering awareness and discourse, print media can play a pivotal role in shaping public understanding of crime dynamics and promoting societal well-being.
This paper evaluates the reports of the SSSCIP regarding cyber-attacks carried out against Ukraine from January 2022 to January 2024. From the exploitation of the CaddyWiper malware, attributed by SSSCIP to APT SANDWORM, to the sophisticated campaigns of the FSB and the cyber-attack on Kyivstar, the paper provides an insight into Russian-origin cyber-attacks against Ukraine, as reported by the main Ukrainian authority in the field, SSSCIP.The purpose of the article is to identify how SSSCIP reported cyber-attacks on Ukrainian IT&C infrastructures, the completeness of the published data, and the way the campaigns are presented. To achieve this goal, all SSSCIP reports from the reference period were evaluated, and only those that materialized and affected IT&C infrastructures were included in the study. In conclusion, the paper will primarily highlight the limitations of SSSCIP reports and, secondarily, SSSCIP's perspective on the domains most frequently targeted by cyber-attacks and the capabilities of Russian actors.
In the contemporary landscape of global security challenges, addressing the intricate dynamics of Counterterrorism and National Security is paramount. This paper emphasizes the pivotal role of Travel Intelligence (TRAVINT) in enhancing Counterterrorism (CT) strategy and improving security measures. Eventually, through a comparative analysis between theoretical frameworks and practical applications, supplemented by case studies of Hezbollah and Hamas, the study examines the significance of TRAVINT, in proactively identifying and preventing potential Terrorism and National Security.
The concept of resilience, suitable for specific operations, has been used within NATO since 2010. The particularity of the term resides in the characteristic phases of implementation in the allied operational environment, which generates appropriate conduct of identifying, analyzing, and avoiding risks, resistance to disruptive and impactful factors, recovery, restoration, and reconstruction of the initial force and action potential. The Alliance's combatant forces will maintain integrity and adequate functionality, even under restrictive, difficult conditions, by implementing, at organizational and operational levels, the two components of layered resilience (operational or military and civil). In this way, a high level of protection, stability, and viability of combat structures of tactical and/or joint forces will be achieved, to face the threats and complex actions of unfriendly (enemy) forces. Through the findings, the present research includes a theoretical approach, with possibilities of concretization in applied resilience in NATO civilian and military fields, because it includes important programmatic details, related to the consequences of the Russian-Ukrainian armed confrontation, which started on February 24, 2022. From here, relevant elements resulted in the consolidation of action power of joint and tactical forces, meant to be engaged in national and multinational operations within the North Atlantic Alliance, against any hostile aggressive forces.
With changing threats and rapid technological progress, society is facing significant changes and challenges. Ensuring that people have the skills and capabilities to meet these challenges is key. One 'tool' for this could be the use of virtual reality (VR). The VR research community is becoming increasingly active in the search for solutions. In this article, we have tried to summarize the concepts related to VR education and training, followed by the challenges of using VR technology and the solutions already implemented through examples from the US, France and China. We then concluded the article by outlining possible future concepts that will need to be developed to implement VR training, with a particular focus on the issues of military training.
Unfortunately, the war in Ukraine and many other events or processes taking place all over the world show us that perhaps there can be no smart peace unless we are ready to fight a smart war. Both against conventional or unconventional enemies, both regarding symmetrical or asymmetrical warfare. And if we are beginning to see our society in terms of smart governance, smart education, smart economy or smart people, which means we see it in terms of smart peace and smart society, then there is definitely the need to see war and conflict in an integrated, compact vision of smart war. We use observation to point out how a large series of contemporary events and processes, starting from cybersecurity issues, aerial, terrestrial, or maritime drones, electronic warfare equipment meant to counter these drones, propaganda, and disinformation easily spread through rapid smart means of worldwide mass communication, and of course, Artificial Intelligence, microprocessors, or fledgling space warfare where satellites can be used to attack rival satellites, need to be addressed in an inclusive, integrated conceptual approach of smart warfare focused on the future and not as separate events or developments patched up upon conventional warfare equipment or thinking. We need to understand that "smartness" is all about peace, but all about war as well, if we want a smart peace to last or if we want to be able to defend it, as Romania has a definitely defensive strategy. We are building a smart peace, but we have to prepare for a smart war as well.
Crime represents a profound threat to societal well-being, generating misery and disorder. Understanding its nature, causes, patterns, and consequences is vital for its effective prevention and control. In Nigeria, the past two decades have witnessed a steady rise in criminal activities, straining resources and impeding national development. Relying on the Social Contract thesis, this study examines how the preponderance of criminality and insecurity has systematically hindered Nigeria's developmental aspirations. In this study, we contend that the state's primary duty is to safeguard citizens and their property, as espoused by the social contract theory. However, the relentless wAve of criminality in the last two decades in Nigeria has greatly undermined the social agreement between the Nigerian state and its citizens. This is in addition to the diversion of resources from other state's responsibilities to the security of the citizenry and the defence of the state. The implication of this situation, as revealed in this study, is the general hampering of the comprehensive national progress and prosperity of the Nigerian state. In this regard, we, therefore, recommend the imperativeness of a communal approach towards tackling the spate of security challenges in Nigeria whilst also recognizing that safeguarding the society remains a collective responsibility of both the Nigerian state and its citizenry. By fostering a culture of security amongst all, the Nigerian state and its citizenry can address the pervasive triggers and impact of crime whilst building a safer and prosperous future for all.
Romania's military infrastructure has undergone significant transformations over time. Periods of expansion and modernization have alternated with phases of reduction and, sometimes, the transfer of barracks into civilian administration. These changes reflect not just technological advancements but also the adaptation to the dynamic requirements of national defense.The 2008 infrastructure regulations link the employment duration of military facilities directly to military activity, highlighting the need for a flexible and adaptable infrastructure. In this context, the article examines the legislative framework regarding the amortization of investments, the wear and tear of constructions, and the authorization of works, emphasizing the importance of aligning military regulations with civil ones.In conclusion, the article analyzes the discrepancies between national legislation and military regulations, suggesting revisions and additions to the existing regulations, particularly regarding temporary and semipermanent facilities, to meet the current and future needs of national defense more effectively.
This paper proposes a new psycho-sociological approach to understanding military culture change, built on the notion of warrior archetype, in line with psychiatrist Carl Jung's concept of archetype. It contends that military culture and its related institutional forms fundamentally seek to mobilize on an ongoing basis human energy produced through the activation of the warrior archetype. The archetype is built on enhancing feelings of strength in numbers, and empowerment through socially sanctioned actions and potential use of violence. It uses the example of the Canadian Armed Forces culture change effort to illustrate that any such planned organizational culture change will fail if it does not remain consistent with activating the warrior archetype, as its central dynamic and purpose.
Current conflicts, ongoing across the globe, have highlighted the need for a new form of warfare that reduces the number of casualties and the degree of destruction and, at the same time, mitigates the effects of hybrid means, ubiquitous in the doctrine of all actors. This new approach to warfare utilizes multi-domain operations as a means of achieving success. Although multi-domain operations have been conducted in the past, the concept that encompasses the process of these operations is novel, and there are still significant adjustments that need to be made to make it operational for all actors. This article aims to study the integration of multi-domain operations into land operations by identifying the strengths and limitations of their development process, the conditions and principles of their integration at the land forces level, resulting from a comparative analysis of US and Russian Federation approaches, as well as from lessons learned from current conflicts.