Specificity and features of use of social flows in informational conflicts

Abstract

The article highlights the problem of studying information and communication technologies used in hybrid conflicts. The term «combat SMM» is determined as a practical category that combines a number of instruments and controls information processes in online social networks. It is an innovative technology, quite specific and narrow, which led to the fact that it is poorly investigated from the point of view of science. By the author’s definition, it is the result of the evolution of Internet technologies from the web 1.0 to web 3.0 format and is a technology for managing communication processes in social online networks, aimed at partially or completely blocking or controlling the enemy’s information field. In practical terms, a good example of an effective use of technologies, that were singled out as combat SMM, are certain events of Russian-Ukrainian confrontation which took place in the active phase of the 2014. During this time technology management information processes in online social networks, used by the Russian side, have enchanced the effect of hybrid attacks. It is noted that in the initial phases of Russian aggression informational attacks on social networks preceded the events in real space, and only then, starting in 2015, they became purely accompanying processes. Also, a purely tactical level of application of tools and methods of combat SMM is defined, because at the strategic level this technology is not decisive.