LÉGION'ARTS
The war is also in our minds.
Clarity, a weapon
By Louis Perez y Cid
War has changed its face.
It is still fought on battlefields, but it is now also waged on our phones, our social networks, and our screens. Information has become a weapon.
The goal is not always to make us believe a lie. It can be more effective to make us doubt everything: our institutions, our media, our leaders, and ultimately, our neighbors.
Divide. Polarize. Saturate. Exhaust.
This is one of the logics of contemporary information warfare.
Russia has made it a veritable modus operandi, exploiting the divisions in our societies. China prioritizes the patient construction of narratives favorable to its interests. Meanwhile, major digital platforms, often foreign-owned, have become infrastructures capable of directly influencing the visibility of ideas and opinions.
The danger is real: through constant manipulation, truth and falsehood become indistinguishable.
And when no one knows what to believe anymore, national cohesion crumbles.
For those who have served in uniform, the principle is simple: when faced with a threat, you must know the adversary, remain calm, and verify information before acting. These reflexes also apply in the digital world.
Let's not share information because it outrages us, let's not believe an image because it pleases us, and let's not spread a rumor because it confirms our beliefs. Before clicking, let's verify, and before sharing, let's think. Because in this new war, everyone can become, without even realizing it, a conduit for an operation designed to weaken us.
France now has the means to detect these interferences, notably with VIGINUM. But no institution can replace the vigilance of its citizens.
Our first line of defense remains our own discernment.
In information warfare as on the ground, cohesion is a strength, and lucidity, a weapon.
Russia has made it a veritable modus operandi, exploiting the divisions in our societies. China prioritizes the patient construction of narratives favorable to its interests. Meanwhile, major digital platforms, often foreign-owned, have become infrastructures capable of directly influencing the visibility of ideas and opinions.
The danger is real: through constant manipulation, truth and falsehood become indistinguishable.
And when no one knows what to believe anymore, national cohesion crumbles.
For those who have served in uniform, the principle is simple: when faced with a threat, you must know the adversary, remain calm, and verify information before acting. These reflexes also apply in the digital world.
Let's not share information because it outrages us, let's not believe an image because it pleases us, and let's not spread a rumor because it confirms our beliefs. Before clicking, let's verify, and before sharing, let's think. Because in this new war, everyone can become, without even realizing it, a conduit for an operation designed to weaken us.
France now has the means to detect these interferences, notably with VIGINUM. But no institution can replace the vigilance of its citizens.
Our first line of defense remains our own discernment.
In information warfare as on the ground, cohesion is a strength, and lucidity, a weapon.