Communication of national security issues via online media in the information operations framing

Abstract

The research is a mixed-method study of both quantitative and qualitative research, aimed to 1) explore and analyze communication patterns used in communicating the content related to national security via the government's and the political dissidents’ information operations through online media, 2) study and analyze the impact of the communication related to national security via online media on the government, mass media, and general people, and 3) recommend some guidelines for national security operations for the government sector, mass media, and general people. The research was conducted by content analysis, in-depth interview, and documentary study, i.e., from primary sources, such as the government’s declarations, orders, announcement, etc., and secondary source, such as academic paper, websites, and official online channels of 1) the government/ government agencies, 2) political dissidents or activists, both supporters for and protestors against the NCPO government, and 3) media or news agencies. The time frame for the analysis was from the coup d’etat on May 22, 2014, up to the official election date on March 24, 2019. The information was searched purposively for the content related to national security, based on keywords by the Search Engine via Google website.

From the study, the following findings were found to answer the research objectives:

1) Communication patterns used in communicating the content related to national security via the government's and the political dissidents’ information operations through online media.

The study found that the government and political dissidents had different purposes in communicating content about political policies, ideologies, concepts, and attitudes. Information operations (IO) were used through online media channels as an important tool in presenting each side’s content and concepts for supporting their missions mainly. From the analysis of IO, most of the government’s operations were “passive operations,” by emphasizing the chain of command or lines of authority. The most important tool of the government was to use an information source who was the supreme leader of the government or the concerned minister, including the spokesperson team to communicate with the public. On the other hand, political dissidents applied an "active approach" of IO by disseminating their disagreement and opposition against the government's administration via various kinds of online channels continuously and consistently in the form of networking with an effort of exerting their influence over the government's estimation of situations.

2) The impact of the communication related to national security via online media on the government, mass media, and general people.

From the study, it was found that the government sector gave very high importance to online communication as government officials still adhere to the traditional ways, i.e., focusing on the online media blockade or blackout policies, which cannot solve national security problems at present. Mass media lack caution in verifying information received from online media and become even victims of that false or misleading information by publicizing such information to the public without any prior information verification process. General people still believe that the transmitted information of online media has been screened. Particularly, it is the nature of online media that untrue information can be diffused more quickly than true information.

3) Guidelines for national security operations for the government sector, mass media, and general people.

For the government sector, plans must be well-prepared for coping with the new form of threats hidden in communication technology. Government personnel should be empowered to possess specialized expertise to catch up with technological changes, especially the modification of thinking patterns and attitudes in working with new media. Mass media should always be concerned about the well-roundedness and thoroughness of news or information before dissemination, including verifying sources of information and being able to confirm the credibility of information sources. General people should learn to question themselves every time upon the receipt of online information. Without such questioning of the acquired information, they will become prey to information releasers easily.