U.S. ANTI-DISINFORMATION PLAN RAISES CONCERNS OF INTERFERENCE

The concern is that the State Department will use this new plan to interfere in and influence political processes in other countries, including democracies.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

The U.S. State Department on Thursday announced a new framework to what it called, “countering foreign disinformation and undermining of democratic institutions”.

This development, apart from underscoring how serious these threats have become for democracies around the world, also indicates how the State Department is likely to use these frameworks to monitor developments and interfere accordingly in the intended countries.

“The Framework to Counter Foreign State Information Manipulation” aims to establish a common set of actions for the United States and its allies to combat foreign information manipulation and “protect free and open societies,” the State Department said in a release.

India is among the allies expected to adhere to these guidelines. Under these frameworks,

five action areas have been identified: 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.

US allies are expected to develop a common understanding of this threat and establish a common set of action areas and develop coordinated responses to foreign information manipulation and protect free and open societies.

The set of actions defined in these frameworks includes countries to go beyond “monitor-and-report” approaches and to include developing and implementing strategies to counter this threat.