Today, the enemy's manipulative techniques - IPSO, which the enemy uses to influence the minds of citizens and military personnel, pose a threat to the national security of the country. The Ministry of Defense explained the essence of IPSO, the mechanisms of their distribution, the main narratives of the enemy and methods of protection against information attacks, reports UNN.
What is IPSO?
IPSO is a targeted manipulation of information to influence the opinions, emotions and behavior of the target audience.
Their goal is to cause panic, sow fear, undermine confidence in state institutions and incline citizens to decisions that are beneficial to the enemy.
What channels are used to distribute IPSO?
Information can come simultaneously through:
- television and official news portals;
- social networks and messengers;
- SMS messages to mobile phones;
- audio broadcasts through broadcasting stations;
- comments from pseudo-experts and fake documents.
How to detect enemy IPSO?
Messages targeting the civilian population often contain the following topics:
- the inevitable massive offensive of the enemy - to create an atmosphere of panic
- catastrophic losses of the Armed Forces - to create a sense of inevitable defeat
- retreat of Ukrainian troops from key positions - reduces the level of patriotism, especially in the temporarily occupied territories, where access to information is limited.
IPSOs targeting the military focus on undermining motivation and morale through narratives:
- the command is unreliable or betrays;
- working conditions are not improving;
- there is no point in fighting.
An easy way to detect such IPSOs is to analyze your own emotional reaction to the information. If the message evokes strong negative emotions, ask two key questions: what emotion is this message trying to evoke, and who benefits from you experiencing such feelings?
How to protect yourself from IPSO?
The main tool to counter IPSO is critical thinking. When you come across emotionally charged information, you should:
Pause before reacting - emotional decisions are rarely balanced.
Check the reputation of the source of information and its authors.
Evaluate the relevance of the news, whether the old context is used in the new conditions.
Identify the original source - the absence of a clear source or anonymity should be alarming.
Verify the facts through command, official communication channels, or reliable resources.
To check photo content, you can use services like Google Reverse Image Search or TinEye, which allow you to track the original source of images. For video, there is the inVID service - a browser extension for verifying the authenticity of video materials.
What to do in case of IPSO detection?
The correct response to a detected information operation will help stop its spread:
- do not interact with manipulative content;
- use the false content complaint features available on most platforms
Systematic IPSOs can be reported to the Center for Counteracting Disinformation at: cpd@rnbo.gov.ua. Be sure to indicate "IPSO" in the subject line.
If you have become the target of an IPSO through personal messages, collect evidence (screenshots, sender profiles) and notify your command or communications officers. It is advisable to communicate in social networks only with people you know personally, and keep your profile closed if you do not conduct public activities.
Where can I deepen my knowledge of IPSO?
To learn more about countering IPSO, you can take the "Information Resilience" course in the Army+ application.
The Army+ application is available in the official Apple App Store and Google Play Market, as well as on the Ministry of Defense website via the link.
Let us remind you
In Poland, before the elections, IPSOs are intensifying, calling for the deportation of Ukrainians and spreading fakes about the authorities. The Russian Federation is trying to reduce support for Ukraine and destabilize the situation.