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Beyond State-Sponsored Disinformation: Understanding the Emerging Threats
Neads, Simone ; Střítecký, Vít (advisor) ; Špelda, Petr (referee)
Disinformation poses a clear security threat to institutions and society as a whole, as it has been shown to increase insecurity, radicalization and polarization. Currently, there are many different understandings of this phenomenon which creates barriers to finding solutions. The initial objective of this thesis is to provide an overview of the different conceptions in order to formulate an inclusive understanding of disinformation. This will then be used to test three hypotheses: that disinformation is not a new phenomenon, that it is not only state sponsored, and that technology has allowed for the recent inundation in campaigns. Through a case study analysis this thesis concluded that not only were all of these hypotheses verifiable, but that based on the discussion, it can be expected that disinformation will become increasingly prevalent. The finding suggest that it will be possible for even non-securitized actors to start campaigns, making them harder to identify. Additionally, technology will allow narratives to be increasingly targeted. These narratives are amplified by the systemic problems with social media that benefit outrage and shocking content. The thesis concluded that it may be possible to address disinformation proactively.
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ANT-Security Interface and the Current Information Crisis
Downs, Alexander ; Vostal, Filip (advisor) ; Špelda, Petr (referee)
We live in a world driven by fast technologies. The same technologies that make information more accessible have created a dilemma by which the same conduits have also enabled access to mass amounts of counter-factual information. It is the assertion of this thesis project that counter- factual information poses a growing risk to the security and stability in liberal democratic societies and warrants a proportional response. The body of work which follows will explore what I have characterized as an information crisis. The information crisis, so presented, is a multi-faceted issue. It's constituent causes and outcomes concern both scholars of security studies and sociology. To address breadth of scope and immediacy of the crisis, the conceptual framework purposed in this project offers an interface between actor-network theory and security studies (ANT-security interface). Actor-network theory is a material-semiotic approach that preferences engagement with human and technological actants as an assemblage. Or, in other words, a network of relationships. The first chapter will introduce the dimensions of the information crisis, providing relevant examples of how counter-factual information embodies a human, and societal security issue. It will delineate important concepts such as misinformation, and...
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The concept of security dilemma in the environment of outer space: the case of the Galileo system
Němečková, Marie ; Doboš, Bohumil (advisor) ; Špelda, Petr (referee)
This diploma thesis applies the well-established concept of security dilemma to the relatively new domain of outer space. It constructs a comprehensive modification of the concept for the outer space - the space security dilemma - and establishes criteria for the assessment of it while also discussing previous approaches. The thesis then applies this concept and established criteria, to the issue of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). More specifically, it focuses on the case of the European GNSS called Galileo and assesses the intentions behind its creation. Through this assessment, the thesis focuses on determining whether the European Union became a space security dilemma initiator by the development of the Galileo system. In order to confront the theoretical conclusions with praxis, the thesis then focuses on the case of the United States of America and the confrontation between GPS and Galileo. In its last chapter, the thesis replicates this approach on the cases of the Russian Federation (and its GLONASS) and the People's Republic of China (and its BeiDou/COMPASS).
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Reconstructing Identities in Fake News: Comparing two Fake News Websites
Ely, Nicole ; Střítecký, Vít (advisor) ; Špelda, Petr (referee)
TOPICAL ANALYSIS OF FAKE NEWS 4 Abstract Since the 2016 US presidential campaign of Donald Trump, the term "fake news" has permeated mainstream discourse. The proliferation of disinformation and false narratives on social media platforms has caused concern in security circles in both the United States and European Union. Combining latent Dirichlet allocation, a machine learning method for text mining, with themes on topical analysis, ideology and social identity drawn from Critical Discourse theory, this thesis examines the elaborate fake news environments of two well-known English language websites: InfoWars and Sputnik News. Through the exploration of the ideologies and social representations at play in the larger thematic structure of these websites, a picture of two very different platforms emerges. One, a white dominant, somewhat isolationist counterculture mindset that promotes a racist and bigoted view of the world. Another, a more subtle world order-making perspective intent on reaching people in the realm of the mundane. Keywords: fake news, Sputnik, InfoWars, topical analysis, latent Dirichlet allocation Od americké prezidentské kampaně Donalda Trumpa z roku 2016, termín "fake news" (doslovně falešné zprávy) pronikl do mainstreamového diskurzu. Šíření dezinformací a falešných zpráv na platformách...
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Explaining Ethics Convergence: The Case of Artificial intelligence
Miotto, Maria Lucia ; Špelda, Petr (advisor) ; Střítecký, Vít (referee)
Maria Lucia Miotto Master Thesis Abstract in English Although more and more works are showing convergence between the many documents regarding the ethics of artificial intelligence, none of them has tried to explain the reasons for this convergence. The thesis here proposed is that the diffusion of these principles is due to the underlying action of an epistemic community that has promoted the spread and the adoption of these values. Then, through network analysis, this thesis describes the AI ethics epistemic community and its methods of value diffusion, testing for the most effective. Then, to test the first result, two case studies, representative of political opposites, the United States and the People Republic of China have been analysed to see which method of diffusion has worked the most. What seems evident is that scientific conferences remain a primary factor in the transmission of knowledge. However, particular attention must also be given to the role played by universities and research labs (also those of big tech-companies) because they have revealed to be great aggregators for the epistemic community and are increasing their centrality in the network.
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Blockchain in National Security
Pavliv, Katerina ; Střítecký, Vít (advisor) ; Špelda, Petr (referee)
The given work is dedicated to the provision of the evaluation on the effectiveness of Blockchain if applied within national security. The research is done through the summative evaluation approach, which allows to estimate the studied phenomenon in one realm in terms of its level of usefulness and transfer the findings to the framework of the thesis on the basis of the main methodological hypothesis. The research comprises the analysis and evaluation of the Blockchain environment, levels of operation, existing normative clash, the componential issues of the latter, provision of the final perspectives of the potential incorporation of the Blockchain technologies into national security with the discussion on the possible application, benefits of the platform, its social and technical vulnerabilities, and limitations.
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American Ways of War and Strategic Culture: A Reflection in Domestic and Foreign Cinematography
Kondrótová, Katarína ; Karásek, Tomáš (advisor) ; Špelda, Petr (referee)
American Ways of War and Strategic Culture: A Reflection in Domestic and Foreign Cinematography Katarína Kondrótová Abstract This thesis examines the portrayal of American strategic culture in movies from the USA and two countries with which the USA has been in conflict with - Vietnam and Afghanistan. The research focuses on comparing them with official US strategies and contrasting the different national portrayals among themselves. The aim is to discover how the USA and its way of war is depicted at home and abroad through movies - a popular medium with the power to shape perceptions. The research is anchored in the international relations theory of post-structuralism and the concepts of strategic culture and national ways of war. They serve as a lens through which the most popular war movies from each country are analyzed. The findings showed that American movies were more precise in depicting their real-life strategic approaches and tended to be more derogatory in their portrayal of their adversaries. They also showed a more critical depiction of US conduct in Vietnam compared to Afghanistan. When it comes to the foreign movies, Vietnamese films were more critical of the USA than Afghan films, but not as disdainful of the enemy as the USA. Afghan depictions exhibited the dual nature of their opinion of...
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Countering Disinformation: A Case Study of Government Responses to Russian Information Warfare
Carruthers, Samuel ; Kazharski, Aliaksei (advisor) ; Špelda, Petr (referee)
Russia employs a set of non-linear tactics against Western democracies that have been characterized as "hybrid warfare." Disinformation and propaganda are a key part of a comprehensive strategy that uses non-military means to achieve political and strategic objectives. EU governments, some of them with a history of facing this type of threat and others as more recent targets, have had different responses to disinformation campaigns. Policies meant to counter disinformation are becoming increasingly coordinated as governments attempt to build resilience through media literacy and strategic communication. This paper examines counter policies against disinformation through the lens of securitization theory in four case studies of EU member states, each examining an incident of disinformation and the ensuing government response. The cases are as follows (1) UK - Sergei Skripal, (2) Germany - Lisa Case, (3) Lithuania - NATO rape allegations, and (4) Spain - Catalan Independence Referendum. The results indicate that while the UK and Lithuania have fully securitized disinformation, Germany and Spain are currently in the process of securitization. It also argues that securitization has a direct influence on policies pursued to counter disinformation and the effectiveness of such policies, recommending a more...
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Securitization of migration in Czech Republic
Lukašík, Petr ; Kučera, Tomáš (advisor) ; Špelda, Petr (referee)
The thesis in your hands focus on foreign Fighter phenomenon in the Czech Republic. It argues, that Foreign Fighters are specific kind of migrants who travel both short-term and long-term into a conflict area of their choice. Some do come back to their countries of departure. The thesis has two goals. First one is to find out if there is potential for securitization of Foreign Fighters in the Czech Republic present in Czech society. For this purpose, securitization theory is used. Second goal of the thesis is to look closer on the Foreign Fighter phenomenon both in general and in local circumstances. The thesis presents analysis of academic literature on the topic of Foreign Fighters. It discusses definitions, Foreign Fighter numbers and threat assessment, and approaches adopted to deal with the phenomenon. Next, specifics of foreign Fighters in the Czech Republic are discussed. A survey was launched in order to gain data for this study among Czech society. Results of the survey indicate there is not much interest for securitization of the topic in the Czech Republic. Further results yielded there is not much of a difference in Czech Foreign Fighters and their compatriots from other countries, except maybe focus of Czech fighters on Ukraine except Middle East.
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Pictorial Possible Worlds
Špelda, Petr ; Střítecký, Vít (advisor) ; Raida, Zbyněk (referee) ; Conway, Maura (referee)
The present text develops a model designed to generate conceptual theories with respect to the pictorial (visual) form of representation. This is achieved by combining a computational approach to cognition with philosophical devices of the analytic tradition. The model itself, simulating the structure of reality, consists of (i) a metaphysical stage based on Armstrong's theory of combinatorial possibility, (ii) an epistemological stage proposing emergent phenomena founded upon the notion of computational irreducibility, and (iii) a semantic stage proposing a stochastic account of concepts anchored in the intensional/extensional apprehension of meaning. Towards the end, the model is applied to develop a conceptual account of a case of social, political, and economic organization of human communities as depicted in the visual propaganda of the so-called Islamic State.
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