How to Fight (and Win) an Information War | Peter Pomerantsev | TED

Summary

In a compelling discussion, the speaker addresses the challenge of engaging audiences immersed in alternative realities, drawing on personal experiences from Ukraine and the documented atrocities of war. Highlighting parallels with contemporary misinformation, they explore the historical case of Sefton Delmer, who countered Nazi propaganda during World War II. Delmer's three key principles—disrupting emotional bonds with authoritarianism, reclaiming individual agency, and fostering community—offer a framework for modern strategies. The speaker urges using today's technology and data to reach those entrenched in false narratives, emphasizing the need for proactive efforts to bridge the gap between facts and feelings.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Engaging audiences living in alternative realities is a significant challenge, especially in contexts like the ongoing war in Ukraine.
• 📖 The speaker's personal experience with the Reckoning Project highlights the importance of documenting war crimes and conveying truth.
• 🔎 Traditional methods like fact-checking often fail when confronting deeply entrenched beliefs and identities tied to propaganda.
• 📺 Sefton Delmer's covert operation during WWII serves as a historical example of subverting authoritarian propaganda effectively.
• 🎭 Delmer identified three key principles for engaging audiences: breaking the emotional monopoly of propaganda, reclaiming agency through facts, and fostering alternative communities.
• 💥 Delmer's media strategy used sensationalism and strong emotions to disrupt the bond between Nazi leaders and their followers.
• 📰 He introduced facts that empowered individuals, providing practical advice to help them regain a sense of agency.
• 🤝 By framing broadcasts as coming from within the German community, Delmer created a psychological safety for listeners.
• 📊 Modern technology and data analysis offer tools to apply Delmer's principles effectively in today's context.
• 🌈 Despite the despair surrounding misinformation, there is hope in utilizing historical lessons and technology to foster understanding and truth.

Q & A

What challenges are presented in reaching audiences who are influenced by propaganda?

The speaker discusses the difficulty of engaging audiences who seem to believe in false narratives and propaganda, especially those enamored with authoritarian leaders, and emphasizes the need for strategies to break through these barriers.

What personal experiences influenced the speaker's perspective on propaganda and war?

The speaker, who was born in Ukraine, has been actively working with an NGO to document war crimes in Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began, making the issue deeply personal.

What was the significance of the events in Bucha as described in the transcript?

The atrocities in Bucha, where civilians were executed by Russian soldiers, illustrate the brutal reality of the conflict and highlight the challenges of communicating these truths to those under the influence of propaganda.

How does the speaker relate the situation in the U.S. to propaganda techniques used in Russia?

The speaker points out that, similar to the situation in Russia, many people in the U.S. believe false narratives, such as the claim that the last election was rigged, despite evidence to the contrary.

Who was Sefton Delmer and what was his role during World War II?

Sefton Delmer was a largely forgotten figure who led a covert British operation aimed at subverting Nazi propaganda by creating alternative media that challenged the narrative propagated by the Nazis.

What principles did Sefton Delmer identify regarding strongman propaganda?

Delmer identified principles such as identification with the leader, sublimation of agency, and the creation of a sense of community, which are key to understanding why people follow authoritarian figures.

What were Delmer's methods for disrupting Nazi propaganda?

Delmer's methods included broadcasting emotionally charged content that challenged Nazi narratives, providing facts that empowered listeners, and fostering alternative communities that contrasted with the Nazi ideology.

How did Delmer's broadcasts maintain a semblance of safety for listeners?

Delmer's broadcasts were disguised as German shows hosted by soldiers, allowing listeners to claim ignorance if caught by the Gestapo, thereby making it psychologically safer to engage with the content.

What modern tools does the speaker suggest could enhance efforts to combat propaganda today?

The speaker suggests using data analysis, online sentiment tracking, and community engagement tools to better understand audience emotions and provide relevant facts, thereby creating more effective outreach strategies.

What is the overarching message the speaker conveys regarding the fight against propaganda?

The speaker urges against despair and emphasizes the importance of applying lessons from history, particularly Delmer's strategies, combined with modern technology, to reach and educate audiences caught in propaganda.