The Centre of Excellence for National Security’s (CENS) annual Disinformation, Rumours, Untruths, Misinformation and Smears (DRUMS) Conference took place from 19 to 20 November, and saw about 180 participants from government agencies, academia, and diplomatic corps.
The theme of this year’s conference was “Information Manipulation and Interference in the Global Political Environment of Uncertainty”. The keynote speaker, Graham Brookie, Vice President and Senior Director of Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab kicked off the conference by elaborating on how the three converging eras of increasing systemic competition, rapid technological change and globalism impact online information environments.
The first panel on information manipulation and interference comprised of Dr Akin Unver, Associate Professor at the Ozyegin University; Janjira Sombatpoonsiri, Research Fellow at the German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) and an Assistant Professor at the Chulalongkorn University; and Major Serafym Sych, Senior Officer, Information and Psychological Operations Directorate of the Main Communication Directorate, Armed Forces of Ukraine. The first panel discussed topics relating to intra-European domestic networks disseminating FIMI, the exploitation of international conflict narratives by domestic influence actors in Southeast Asia, and disinformation strategies used in the Russia-Ukraine war.
The second panel focused on global cases of election interference. Pieter Pandie, Researcher at the Department of International Relations at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies; Dr Samantha Bradshaw, Director of the Center for Security, Innovation, and New Technology at the American University; and Professor Paolo Cesarini, Chair of Executive Board at the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO); highlighted the risks of disinformation narratives and generative AI in elections.
The second day of the conference started with a fireside chat with Major Serafym Sych of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who shared Ukraine’s strategic communications approach and countermeasures in the Russia-Ukraine war. Subsequently, CENS researchers presented their studies on foreign information and interference framework, inauthentic websites, Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA), fault lines and misinformation, and gender and security.
Speakers of the third panel presented on the future and uncertainties of emerging technology such as Gen AI. Dr Doowan Lee, Member of Steering Committee at the National Center for Narrative Intelligence; Dr Kokil Jaidka, Assistant Professor, Communications and New Media, National University of Singapore; and Dr Priyanka Bhalla, Head of Safety Policy at META; observed that while Gen AI models can contribute towards mapping disinformation/misinformation narratives in the online information space, it is important to note how local and cultural nuances contribute towards this study, and that a safer online environment for the usage of Gen AI is possible.
The fourth and the last panel of the conference focused on case studies on various platforms, tactics and countermeasures against FIMI. Harris Zainul, Deputy Director of Research at ISIS Malaysia; McKenzie Sadeghi, Editor, AI and Foreign Influence at NewsGuard; and Dr Viet Tho Le, Deputy Dean, School of Media and Applied Arts, University of Management and Technology in Vietnam; highlighted the risks of FIMI and how preparedness, increased public awareness and regulatory measures can play a part in safeguarding the online information space.
DRUMS 2024 provided key insights into the potential challenges ahead, and above all, highlighted that while there are emerging risks and threats ahead, there remains the need for collective response to protect the digital information environment.
