LikeWar

The Weaponization of Social Media

By: P. W. Singer, Emerson T. Brooking

Narrated by: George Guidall

Two defense experts explore the collision of war, politics, and social media, where the most important battles are now only a click away.

Through the weaponization of social media, the Internet is changing war and politics, just as war and politics are changing the Internet. Terrorists livestream their attacks, “Twitter wars” produce real world casualties, and viral misinformation alters not just the result of battles, but the very fate of nations. The result is that war, tech, and politics have blurred into a new kind of battlespace that plays out on our smartphones.

P. W. Singer and Emerson Brooking tackle the mind bending questions that arise when war goes online and the online world goes to war. They explore how ISIS copies the Instagram tactics of Taylor Swift, a former World of Warcraft addict foils war crimes thousands of miles away, Internet trolls shape elections, and China uses a smartphone app to police the thoughts of 1.4 billion citizens. What can be kept secret in a world of networks? Does social media expose the truth or bury it? And what role do ordinary people now play in international conflicts?

Delving into the web’s darkest corners, we meet the unexpected warriors of social media, such as the rapper turned jihadist PR czar and the Russian hipsters who wage unceasing infowars against the West. Finally, looking to the crucial years ahead, LikeWar outlines a radical new paradigm for understanding and defending against the unprecedented threats of our networked world.

©2018 P.W. Singer and Emerson T. Brooking (P)2018 Recorded Books

Illuminating, and disconcerting

I hope to use this book as a call to action amongst my friends and family. Having seen the debris of information warfare always around me in my time at university, this text finally gave me the perspective to understand many of the disturbing trends which I observed there. Delivered in a dynamic, entertaining narrative style, it conveys its points and amazing facts and figures in an effective but laid back manner. If I had more stars to give, I would!

Must listen

truly the most timely, relevant and life changing ideas I've been exposed to in years. we all need to be more aware of our role in influencing each other and our responsibility to think critically about what we see and hear. amazing

Should be "Like Required Reading"

Helps to bring the new information age into perspective for Gen Z through The Greatest Generation. There is only one truth but it can be buried deep by loud and broadly spread lies. America and the World need to find a workable solution.

Pretty good book

A little long in some chapters. Overall pretty good. However the narrator just isnt for me.

A must read.

This book will forever change how you view social media, and how You interact with it. I cannot recommend this book enough.