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I feel, a lot of what business does online, we can be doing about the same. Weather in research, connecting, assess where we can get our biggest bang for our buck. We have our engagement plans and business has their action plans or business plans. Basically the same thing, just different terms. The research we do before we deploy maybe looking at the battlefield or our environment and then we must turn it into a integrated marketing strategy for SM networks and their individuals, groups or organizations. Just like industry does from their marketing. What are the SM pattern and doing online pattern recognition and indicators. Just like in marketing. Conduct our own Netnography on the different social networks sampling. But making the Netnographer or finding one it the long hard road. I say We have to do both targeted linkage and search engine optimization (SEO) campaigns require an investment of time. Breaking down how different industries do it can be tricky, yet not knowing is not a good reason. The major impediment to SM would be the consumable created with intent on influence of what your market audience. Nothing new, maybe fancy, but taking current models as using them. |
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Getting Brand Communities Right Written by Susan Fournier and Lara Lee, both of whom had long involvement with HD's community engagement strategies. A couple of interesting highlights that can easily convert from the corporate business to the conflict business: Brand communities exist on contrast and conflict, not love Brand communities exist to serve their members’ needs—not your business. Communities are strongest when all members—not just opinion leaders— have roles. MYTH: Successful brand communities are tightly man- aged and controlled. I have this idea in my head about Social Media for military operations being used much like some consumer brands aggressively seeking out and carefully recruiting/nurturing key influencers within certain communities to "lease their credibility". There are examples of very small but very aggressive clothing brands recruiting key influencers of high school age and plying them with free merchandise as a form of guerrilla marketing due to their considerable online influence and credibility. |
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From what I am gleaning from this and other threads, there is and has been a tendency towards overspecialization whether it is MOS or unit mission focus. (Would you believe this is the 4th time today that I have had a conversation with 4 different people on 4 different issues that ended up making this same point.) I see the same problem in business/industry/academia. IMHO, successful COIN or UW requires generalists to successfully plan and execute. Skilled in various disciplines/arts to be sure, but capable of seeing and operating in the bigger picture. At the end of the day it always comes down to human-human interaction and the basics (hierarchy of needs). The story from the SAS Secret War exemplifies that point exceptionally well and I can assure you is not unique. Most of the time our decision base is intuitive anyway. All of the other inputs into the intelligence matrix are framing the environment. SM is just one more tool in the kit, IMO. A potentially important and useful tool, but a tool nonetheless. I think the focus of the SOCOM mission on the Human Domain is precisely the right direction and emphasis. That is where all future conflicts will be won or lost and how many many more conflicts can be averted. |
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SM is OSINT and Open Source is anything overtly, legally gathered that is published both traditional and electronic. So no matter how many of the collection tools, analytical processes and objectives there are. I feel you still have look the same way as other disciplines and vary for tactical, operational and strategic uses. Human factor or not. Critical elements in SM include the human terrain and contextual aspects of available information collected from online sources. Emerging technology has opened the aperture on what is knowable and enables planners for preparation of operations. The SAS are IMO the master of how to properly execute a COIN operation. From the secret war to rhodesian SAS, they all get it and have the freedom to operate. |
Flagg
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Recruiting clients to post on your behalf is a long engagement process, which moves in the exact same way any relationship building does, based on commonality, trust, and support. Like's do not matter, commentary does. In that regard, site development to engage in projecting and developing an image is first formed with your grp or company. Google allows each member to have multi-media email accounts, and they can have accounts exponentially; each has to build its own credentials, once that's accomplished they are certified by the hosting site as a "Star" contributor in some fashion or another, posting on others to create "substance", but are really a defensive force in protecting the reputation of home base. JQP see's it as authoritative and knowledgeable reporting. |
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I concur with the native speaker challenges. There were much discussion some years back here about regional misalignment with the SF pipeline, changes to language at the end, etc. When you have an ethnic oriental with high DLAB assigned French, it makes one wonder. The mismanagement of plenty MAVNI personnel assigned to USASOC is another wonder. It seems those assigned to Lewis are handled more properly. In my limited observation, the same with active CA too. Hell, I did not get to go to where I could make most difference despite native language and cultural proficiency. Quote:
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I'm bring this up, not to get off on a CA and SF COLLECTION topic. But you bring up a great point that SF have missed out on. I always said that every SFODA section; 18B,C,D, and E should have one of them go to the two course. This would allow both the Fox and Threes the ability to "tap" into them. Also Charlie's work with local labors, Bravos too. Medics, well clinics, easy one. Echo, I still don't know, but they are there and will mingle with locals. So like CA they can collect, but even if these sections go to the two course they still need to know what to collect. Atmospherics is Sanitation, Healthcare, Power, Food, Water… and measurable, yet what is collectible. This is why I feel a collection plan is so important. You do IPB say, find gaps and now develop a engagement plan, a collection plan on how your going to find these gaps. What is measurable!! Teams are not doing this, from what I have seen. A good Fox and Three can direct the different sections, CA people and others; telling them what to ask about or for. So as a fox and three, you're synced. Many are not and it's dart board engagements for operations or just going a hunts. So with all that said, yes we do need the face to face time in the long run. But I'm also looking at this as a time where you CAN NOT go into that country and get boots on the ground. SM and employment of IPE with analysis and visualization of Social Networks maybe your only option. This was done with Syria and Iran to date. For me I look at SNA and how SM help us build a template of the Threat Process Model? Can it? Where are we going gathering information to fill in gaps on? How does this (SNA) support a collection management plan? Going with the CA HUMINT thought, which is a right way, and if you roll it up into a LLSO FP that you have people, soldiers, CA, MISO, ETC providing (collecting) the "talk on the street". Yet on SM with, Social Network Platform, how do we find the streets? Where do we go looking? Why do we even care to go looking online? I am not sure when this morphed into sentiment analysis or capabilities. But I'm looking at SM with a country apart of a protest, movement, insurgency, revolution as OSINT. Like other disciplines, they must answer three questions typically: Who benefits from this event/information? Why now? and so what? For a Intelligence side of the house, most should know TCEPD cycle - Tasking Collection Processing Exploitation and Dissemination. Most forget this acronym TCEPD, but it really doesn't differ from use with other disciplines. Many of the collection tools, analytical processes and objectives are the same and vary for tactical, operational and strategic uses. So what role does Social Media have in mobilizing protest, movement, insurgency, revolutions in a country? Or does it play a role? Can you find a tangible matrix of measure from Social Network Analysis (SNA). |
Okay try a new direction for this subject. Not much input now. So I'm going with the assumption that SM plays into protest, movements and/or revolutions in a country. So I'm going down a road most of us know, insurgency/asymmetric warfare.
No matter which Intel Disciplines is used it's still all about how one uses the differences in Tasking, Collection, Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination. Most ArcGiS, AnB and Palantir. For me this is some ideas I have for using SM within Intel Cycle and doing some Social Network Analysis (SNA). Here is my assessment broken down for thought and digesting. Planning and Direction. The first step in the cycle, planning and direction, involves the management of the entire intelligence effort, from the identification of a need for data to the final delivery of the intelligence product to the consumer. The process consists of identifying, prioritizing, and validating intelligence requirements, translating requirements into observables, preparing collection plans, issuing requests for information collection, production, and dissemination, and continuously monitoring the availability of collected data. In this step specific collection capabilities are tasked, based on the type of information required, the susceptibility of the targeted activity to various types of collection activity, and the availability of collection assets. (http://www.fas.org/irp/nsa/ioss/threat96/part02.htm) Intelligence Preparations of the Battlefield (IPB) is noteworthy for its flexibility. IPB is still a sound method and has useful applications to today's contemporary operating environment. And yes it has been adapted by inter-agencies and law enforcement as well. However, it is not a comprehensive solution. IPB was developed to fight the Soviet bloc forces in the Fulda Gap of northern Europe. Its predictive/estimative value (most likely/most dangerous course of action) was derived from the Red Army's rigid adherence to published doctrine. The Gulf War destroyed adversarial faith in Soviet doctrine, leaving many adversary states and non-state actors to develop their own unpublished doctrine. We now use IPB to fit a newer need, yet fundamentally flawed in most settings. Because of this the IPB theme was changed by NGA to fit this insurgency/asymmetric in what is now Intelligence Preparation of the Environment (IPE or sometimes Intelligence Preparation of the Operational Environment -- IPOE). So now we have Social Network Analysis (SNA) which is about entities and the relationships between them online or cyber. SNA has a number of variations within the intelligence community ranging from techniques such as association matrices through link analysis charts for visualization, right up to the validated mathematical models of statistics and data. Most Intelligence analyst knows I2's Analyst Notebook and Palantir for visualization linkage charts yet many Analysts don’t know how we can look at SM to conduct a threat modeling process in SNA for operations. Does SNA answer the basic question of what the Information will be used for Intelligence? We is something to think about, the normal way of doing things with standard software. http://youtu.be/FXTxs2UqHY4 |
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Collection. The second step in the intel cycle is collection, includes both acquiring information and provisioning that information to processing and production elements. The collection process encompasses the management of various activities, including developing collection guidelines that ensure optimal use of available intelligence resources. Intelligence collection requirements are developed to meet the needs of potential consumers. Based upon identified intelligence, requirements collection activities are given specific taskings to collect information. These taskings are generally redundant and may use a number of different intelligence disciplines for collection activities. Tasking redundancy compensates for the potential loss or failure of a collection asset. It ensures that the failure of a collection asset is compensated for by duplicate or different assets capable of answering the collection need. The use of different types of collection systems contributes to redundancy. It also allows the collection of different types of information that can be used to confirm or disprove potential assessments. Collection operations depend on secure, rapid, redundant, and reliable communications to allow for data exchange and to provide opportunities for cross-cueing of assets and tip-off exchanges between assets. Once collected, information is correlated and forwarded for processing and production. (http://www.fas.org/irp/nsa/ioss/threat96/part02.htm)
So within SNA, how does the Intelligence collection requirement relates to mapping, understanding, analyzing and measuring interactions across a network of people? Social Networks, both formal and informal can foster a knowledge sharing among individual, groups, participants, and organizations. SNA collection of SM information lays emphasis on large scale distributed information of participants in SM networks over a period of time. Using SNA software ability to relate one message to another, one post on a SM platform to other posts, and capture data from identities, personalities, locations, content, DTG of postings and messages to chronology logs of all actions in a “community.” Yet we can’t just use one system like we have been doing with the fall back AnB or Palantir just because it is easy to use. We have to be able to use of different types of collection systems contributes to redundancy in analyzing what our specific taskings to collect information from SM. You should be asking, why do I need to be looking at SM for information? Just as with any collection process, for SNA you are encompasses the management of various activities in cyber, including developing the same things you would be looking for in different intelligence disciplines for collection activities. Just because we are cyber it doesn’t change the way we operate. Just as in HUMINT you would be doing the same things are you would on a street corner, now your café is online. SM is OSINT at the heart of it; but still must be balanced with other disciplines when possible. Freely available Social Network Analysis (SNA) Software (Keep in mind that most of these use and/or produce a EXCELL spread sheet, so it can be used in other software we have now) Netdraw: http://www.analytictech.com/downloadnd.htm NodeXL: http://www.connectedaction.net/nodexl/ (NodeXL at this time can collect data from your Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, or Youtube accounts and graph them.) +++ YouTube Video: http://youtu.be/39yXz72qdow Gephi: www.gephi.org (Can collect data from your Facebook, Flickr, and Twitter accounts and graph them.) ***Understanding Gephi: http://www.martingrandjean.ch/introd...ization-gephi/ +++ YouTube Video: http://youtu.be/bXCBh6QH5W0 ORA: http://www.casos.cs.cmu.edu/projects/ora/index.php (Go to the software tab to download) UCINET: downloads | ucinetsoftware but you need NetDraw to network visualization. Visible Path FOCA 3.2: (great for Metadata obtaining/analysis) http://www.informatica64.com/foca.aspx. +++YouTube Videos: http://youtu.be/XVjZEijbekw This is a good list breaking down of different softwares for your viewing pleasures. http://www.casos.cs.cmu.edu/tools/tools.php Purchase available Social Network Analysis (SNA) Software. Just the better ones I've seem employed. Maltego: http://www.paterva.com/web6/products/maltego.php. (I really like this software) +++ YouTube Video: http://youtu.be/e33NSUkyEg0 NetMinwe4: http://www.netminer.com/index.php#! (Can collect data from your Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, or Youtube accounts and visualization them.) +++ YouTube Video: http://youtu.be/9GZVhmZou_c Examples of SNA Collection. http://s4rsa.wikispaces.com/Social+Network+Analysis |
If you look at the free SNA software, you see there is a lot you can do. FOCA is great at "looking" at and within file. Metadata if you don't know what that is, google it. Pictures too, I saw one where they went onto three dating sites, LinkedIn and FB; all free accounts and every picture got all kinds of user information. The Metadata. The other funny thing, was all the pictures that picture block faces, "painted" over rooms, backgrounds and other things. Well FOCA "unpainted" all the pictures. It opened my eyes bigger than $&!#.
Yes principles are the same, for me the process stays the same too. The Old Days of doing link analysis was 3x5 cards and photos taped to a wall, chalk boards, and white boards, just migrated to the computers and use of software. Like the old Cold War days of the five book set of the Soviet Union doctrine and tactics. We could go off indicators based off their doctrine and tactics. No THINK TANK has a full study, good white paper or anything studying the indicators of SM. Well I haven't read any. It’s just like Intelligence Cycle, invented over 50 years ago, yet the basics of the principles are there, and the process still works. I'm going with my basics of the linkage analysis and add them to a SNA process: •Identifying the network of people to be analyzed (e.g. Individual, team, group, and organizations). •Gathering background information – finding within/on SM network platforms the key players and individuals, understand the specific needs and actions. •Clarifying objectives, defining the scope of the analysis and agreeing on the level of reporting required for Commanders. •Formulating hypotheses and questions of what the defined problem or questions are. •Developing the methodology and designing the Gaps questionnaire. •”Surveying” the individuals in the network to identify the relationships and knowledge flows between them. •Use a network visualization software mapping tools to visually map out the SM network. •Reviewing the map and develop a library for the modeling, analysis, and visualization of SM network data. •Designing and implementing actions to bring about desired changes within the “system.” •Mapping the network and how the ability to extract "who", "what", "where", "when" and "why" facts and then drill down to understand people, places and events and how they are related. This isn’t just about doing an IPB as in an IPE/IPOE. This could be used in many ways. Say how SOF uses SM when you have militants targeting passenger trains, gas pipelines, security forces, and kidnapping NGO workers in the area for more than a (X-Time) whereas incidents of kidnapping for ransom have also risen (Y-Time) recently. So if militant groups are using YouTube to spread their propaganda (ransom requests, videos of IED Explosions). Can we use SNA for a IO counter-campaign? Tracking, indicators of the militants? Looking at what they are doing on SM and how we can use for or against what they are doing. Within the IW, UW and Integrated Asymmetric Warfare Environment (IAWE) can we use SNA? I say yes, we have people looking at what the business world is doing for their business network analysis and just like the ODAA loop in business changed to Plan Do Check Act (PDCA) cycle. What can we do or change? |
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