NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence

📢 Join us for an exciting LinkedIn live discussion on next generation information environment! 🗓 February 6, 2026 ⌚️ 3:30 PM (GMT+2) / 8:30 AM (GMT-5) In an era of heightened geopolitical competition and conflict, the cognitive dimensions of security are becoming central to how power, influence, and resilience are shaped. Understanding how the information environment is evolving and where future strengths and vulnerabilities will lie is essential for preparedness for the decade ahead. This LinkedIn live discussion brings together Sinead Bovell, Founder of WAYE, Futurist and Strategist, and Janis Sarts, Director of the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence to explore the emerging dynamics of the 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. Drawing on insights from the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence’s NextGen Information Environment project, the conversation will examine how influence is exercised today, how it may change over the next ten years, and what strategic capabilities are needed to safeguard security in an increasingly contested cognitive domain. The live event serves as an introduction and preview of a forthcoming roundtable that will take place on the margins of the Munich Security Conference 2026, convening experts and decision-makers to dive deeper into these challenges. 📲 Join us for a forward-looking discussion on security, influence, and resilience in the information age! 🗓 February 6, 2026 ⌚️ 3:30 PM (GMT+2) / 8:30 AM (GMT-5) #StratCom #MSC2026 #AI

🔴 Going Live Today: The Next Generation Information Environment ⏰ Tune in at 3:30 PM (GMT+2) / 8:30 AM (GMT -5) Join us for a LinkedIn Live discussion with Sinead Bovell (Founder, WAYE; Futurist & Strategist) and Janis Sarts (Director, NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence) as they explore how the information environment is evolving and what this means for security, influence, and resilience in the decade ahead. Drawing on insights from the NextGen Information Environment project, the conversation will examine emerging strengths and vulnerabilities in today’s contested cognitive domain and the strategic capabilities needed to respond. 🔴 Tune in live and join the conversation shaping the future of information and security.

📢 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁! 🗓 February 6, 2026 ⌚ 3:30 PM (GMT+2) | 8:30 AM (GMT-5) As geopolitical competition intensifies, the information environment is becoming a decisive arena for power, influence, and resilience. Understanding where future strengths and vulnerabilities lie is critical for the decade ahead. Join Sinead Bovell, Founder of WAYE, Futurist & Strategist, and Janis Sarts, Director of the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence, for a forward-looking discussion on how influence is exercised today and how it’s likely to evolve over the next 10 years. Drawing on insights from the 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗚𝗲𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 project, they’ll explore the strategic capabilities needed to protect security in an increasingly contested cognitive domain. This live session also previews a forthcoming expert roundtable on the margins of MSC 2026. 👉 Link to the live event available in comment section! #StratCom #MSC2026 #AI

‼️ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝘄. We have just released our latest experiment on social media manipulation, offering the most comprehensive evidence to date of how commercially available inauthentic engagement continues to exploit systemic platform vulnerabilities. Despite regulatory advances and improved enforcement, the study shows that manipulation remains cheap, accessible, and increasingly sophisticated, with AI-enabled bots now blending seamlessly into real conversations rather than acting as obvious spam. 🔎 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: in 2025 we tested seven major platforms by purchasing fake engagement and advertising, revealing that over 30,000 inauthentic accounts generated more than 100,000 interactions with limited detection. While some platforms improved account and engagement removal, commercial manipulation is still widely available at low cost, including within paid advertising systems. Most concerningly, AI-driven bots now embed themselves into authentic discussions, making manipulation harder to detect and more persuasive. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀: 🔹 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲: For a few hundred euros, actors can generate tens of thousands of fake interactions including through ads. 🔹 𝗔𝗜 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲: Bots are shifting from high-volume spam to low-volume, high-credibility engagement inside real conversations. 🔹𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻: Enforcement has improved, but transparency and routine detection remain inconsistent across platforms. 🔹 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆: Cryptocurrency-based payment infrastructures keep the manipulation economy resilient and largely opaque. 🔹𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲: Behavioural, cross-platform, and conversation-level analysis is now essential to protect information integrity. 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲: the infrastructure for influence-as-a-service is mature and defending the digital public sphere now requires systemic, financial, and behavioural counter-measures, not just content moderation. Read the full experiment report below or follow the link in comment section! Authors: Gundars Bergmanis-Korāts, Tetiana Haiduchyk, Bohdan Smolts Trementum Research

🔍 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗕𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗻 - 𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗼𝘀𝘁 - 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 In an era of intensified geopolitical competition and persistent conflict, security is no longer shaped solely by military or economic power. The cognitive dimension of the information environment and how people perceive, interpret, and act on information is becoming a decisive arena. Understanding how this environment is evolving, where comparative strengths and vulnerabilities lie, and which strategic capabilities are needed is essential for preparedness and resilience in the decade ahead. Through its 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗚𝗲𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁, the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence is examining how the information environment is transforming and what it will take to preserve security and influence in the years to come. 📌 As we prepare to host a roundtable on the next-generation information environment on the margins of the Munich Security Conference, we sat down with our Director, Mr Janis Sarts, to discuss what the next 10 years may hold and what decision-makers should be thinking about now. 🎥 Watch the Q&A below and share your thoughts. #MSC2026 #StratCom #InformationEnvironment #NextGen

How do the Nordic-Baltic countries (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden) counteract hostile information influence operations? For this new research report, Johannes Lindgren, James Pamment, Angela-Gabrielle Palmer, Sanda Svetoka, Elina Lange Ionatamishvili, Sandra Hiller, and Päivi Tampere conducted interviews with key figures in NB8 countries to understand the policies, national contexts, and concrete disruption initiatives that characterise their approaches. For those interested in better understanding the "Nordic-Baltic" approach, the report offers insight into the similarities, differences, and the as-yet untapped potential for cooperation within the region.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻, 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁? The recent research from NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence maps how the Nordic-Baltic countries (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden) are responding to information influence operations (IIOs) in an increasingly contested information environment. 📌 The core insight: There is no single “silver bullet” for countering IIOs. Instead, the NB8 countries rely on a whole-of-society approach, combining resilience, coordination, and selective disruption tailored to national contexts but united by shared democratic values. Key takeaways from the study: 🧠 Resilience is the frontline: media literacy, critical thinking, trust in institutions, and public awareness are central across the region. 🤝 Coordination matters: flexible, often informal, cross-government structures enable faster detection and response. 📰 Civil society and media are essential partners: fact-checkers, NGOs, and independent journalism play a decisive role in countering influence without amplifying it. ⚖️ Disruption is cautiously increasing: legal and regulatory tools (sanctions, media regulation, criminal law) are used more often, while balancing freedom of expression. 🌍 Regional cooperation has untapped potential: shared exercises, capability frameworks, and joint situational awareness could significantly strengthen collective defence against IIOs. As information influence becomes more sophisticated and more tightly coupled with cyber, economic, and physical pressure this research shows that democratic resilience is not accidental. It is built deliberately, collectively, and over time. 📘 The report offers practical lessons not only for the Nordic-Baltic region, but for any democracy grappling with hostile influence in the information space. Read the full research below or follow the link in comment section. Authors: Johannes Lindgren, James Pamment, Angela-Gabrielle Palmer, Sanda Svetoka, Elina Lange Ionatamishvili #HybridThreats #Resilience #NordicBaltic

🌀 𝗦𝗬𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗦 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 - 𝗔 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 As the Information Environment becomes increasingly contested, complex, and technology-driven, traditional training models are no longer enough. 𝗦𝗬𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗦 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 is NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence’s response to a contemporary information space - a unique, first-ever civil-military, cross-sectoral, AI-enabled StratCom LiveEx designed to deliver measurable value in today’s operational reality. What sets SYNESIS apart is not only what we will train, but how we will train. By combining advanced AI-enabled simulation, Audience Behaviour Modelling, and real-time data-driven feedback, SYNESIS will allow participants to observe and understand how decisions, narratives, and actions influence audiences in a contested information space. This exercise will provide a secure environment to: 🌀 experiment with emerging technologies 🌀 test innovative approaches to respond to nationwide crises and counter hostile information influence 🌀 strengthen cross-sectoral cooperation to enable effective and rapid responses in crisis environments SYNESIS is more than an exercise. It is a platform for innovation, a testbed for cooperation, and a new benchmark for technology-enabled military training in the Information Environment. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗲𝘆𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗮!