United States Army War College

Empire Maintenance in the Information Age: Influence of Mediaverse on Strategy United States Army War College

Publisher Marketing: The proliferation of mobile Internet technology grants the average global citizen immediate access to information and the ability to posit opinions, i.e. influence, at near-real-time speed. The amalgam of 24/7 news networks, mass media, the Internet, and social media (the mediaverse), coupled with mobile technology, influences strategy in three ways. First, it is a national security challenge and opportunity. Second, it influences the character of war. Third, it is forcing an evolution of the strategic environment. The successful strategic leader must be not just aware but au courant on the challenges and opportunities presented by the mediaverse. Improved processes, tools, and education are required to adapt to mediaverse influencers. The most significant systemic improvement is the addition of a robust strategic feedback loop in the strategy formulation model. This can be accomplished by better integrating information operators into campaign planning and mission execution to surveil the mediaverse to assess content and on-going events to provide a robust assessment of the information environment. Formal developmental education should expand current media training to include skillful reconnaissance of, and engagement in, the mediaverse.