COVID-19’s Hollywood Thriller, “Chinawood,” and Flattening the Other Curve

Note from the author: 

Russia and China have the potential to impact our cognitive security, but in very different ways. You could say one is the hare and the other the turtle. Franak Viacorka, of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, and myself recently wrote two columns on this topic, which we would like to share with IPA members.

The hare, Russia, had engaged in more than 100 known disinformation campaigns by the end of March, spreading a wide range of misinformation.  Their modus operandi is clear.  Spray and pray and see what happens. Our ability to understand exactly how it works and how we can minimize it is the real goal.

The turtle, China, is methodically buying position after position in leading gaming companies, ranging from Epic Games (Fortnite) to Riot Games (League of Legends).  This gives them the ability to engage in economic censorship, preventing ideas and storylines from ever being shared.

One uses our existing media infrastructure to attempt to confuse us.  The other is focused on rebuilding that same infrastructure to control and shape how we learn.

Best, Bob Pearson

Read more at Techonomy:

Let’s also Flatten the Curve on Another Virus

The Stunningly Successful Propaganda of Chinawood

Bob Pearson is Senior Advisor for W2O Group and a Advisor the State Department’s Global Engagement Center Digital Advisory Board.