Foreign information manipulation and interference is a national security threat to the United States as well as to its allies and partners. Today, the U.S. Department of State is announcing an important new tool for addressing this problem: The Framework to Counter Foreign State Information Manipulation.
This Framework seeks to develop a common understanding of this threat and establish a common set of action areas from which the United States, with its allies and partners, can develop coordinated responses to foreign information manipulation and protect free and open societies.
Authoritarian governments use information manipulation to shred the fabric of free and democratic societies. They manipulate social discourse, skew national and international debates on subjects of critical importance, and undermine democratic institutions. This transnational threat requires a coordinated international response.
The Framework serves as a tool for diplomatic engagement on the threat of foreign information manipulation. It will deepen cooperation between like-minded partners, establish a common operating picture, and support the development of resilient, fact-based information ecosystems. The Framework is based on five Key Action Areas: (1) national strategies and policies; (2) governance structures and institutions; (3) human and technical capacity; (4) civil society, independent media, and academia; and (5) multilateral engagement.
National Strategies and Policies:
Human and Technical Capacity:
Civil Society, Independent Media, and Academia:
Multilateral Engagement:
The Way Forward:
By committing to these five Key Action Areas, the United States with its partners and allies can begin working bilaterally and multilaterally to build societal resiliency to foreign disinformation.