An Ignoble Experiment

2. Radicalization research seldom looks at actual behavior

The Homeland Security Department took first public steps in development of a research and development strategy for strengthening the security and resilience of critical infrastructure in the Dec. 5 solicitation of public comment.

In a Federal Register notice, DHS notes the R&D strategy is a requirement of Presidential Policy Directive 21, which President Obama signed in February. The directive calls for the strengthening of critical infrastructure against threats both physical and cyber. The strategy, which will affect federal agencies and federally funded research and development centers, is due in February 2015.

In the notice, DHS says the plan "will be written by coordinating with the full range of critical infrastructure partners and other stakeholders," but says this first notice is an opportunity for "the broader public to provide input on the technical content and foci for the NCISR R&D."

The department already has a proposed strategy outline, including a section on cyber-physical systems, interdependencies, human systems elements, transition of R&D to use, and incentives.

Part of the feedback requested by the department includes what types of interdependencies between critical infrastructure entities should be included in the strategy, what high priorities there exist for regional, state, local and other governmental levels, and how should prioritization of R&D be accomplished.

For more:
- go to the Federal Register notice

Read more about: critical infrastructure, PPD-21
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By Zach Rausnitz

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3. Effects of public diplomacy hard to prove

Research into the process of radicalization via the Internet has largely studied the content that is available rather than how terrorists actually make use of it, a study from the Rand Corporation says.

There's a good reason for that imbalance: Few terrorists are willing to participate in research studies. But researchers at Rand were able to review data recovered by police in the United Kingdom from computers belonging to 15 terrorists and extremists, in addition to interviewing investigators from their cases. That afforded them a look at how online radicalization works in practice.

"Access to primary data understandably remains a significant challenge. However, such access is possible," the study says.

The researchers found scant evidence that any of the 15 individuals in the study, all U.K. residents, were self-radicalized. Radicalization tends to depend on group bonding, peer pressure and indoctrination, the study says, in order to convince people that violence is acceptable.

"Amongst those in law enforcement and policymaking circles, the notion of 'self-radicalisation' appears largely defunct," the study says.

Interaction need not occur in person, though. One of the terrorists studied used five Facebook accounts to engage with fellow extremists, for example.

Online resources also taught some of the terrorists how to make bombs and suicide vests.

The study says the 15 individuals, who were not a representative sample of terrorists in the United Kingdom but whose experiences still offered insight, don't suggest that the Internet accelerates the process of radicalization. It does appear to facilitate it, however, the study says.

- download the study, "Radicalisation in the digital era: The use of the internet in 15 cases of terrorism and extremism" (.pdf)

Read more about: counterterrorism, Rand Corp.
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By Zach Rausnitz

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4. Free terrestrial broadcasting has 'critically important role' in emergency response, says ITU

Public diplomacy does not have a clear way to measure its effects, said Walter Douglas, minister counselor for public affairs at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India.

Douglas spoke during an event on Nov. 25 at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, where he was a State Department visiting fellow in 2011-2012.

"It's very difficult, because you can measure inputs but you can't measure outputs," he said. "Nobody has really come up with an idea" for how to show when populations "have changed their way of looking at the United States based on what we have given them."

Even with social media, now a key channel for public diplomacy messaging, outcomes can be difficult to measure even though the metrics for inputs are clear.

Instead, Douglas said public diplomacy should have a clear message, identify success stories, and seek out influential people as the prime audience. "If your narrative makes sense, people can probably trust that you're onto something," he said.

Douglas was an advertising executive before he joined the State Department. While advertising and public diplomacy bear some resemblance to each other, decision-making in the advertising business is far more clear-cut, Douglas said. The success of advertising can often be reduced to whether a product sells or not.

U.S. public diplomacy has in recent years focused heavily on countering anti-American views in Muslim-majority countries. One lesson Douglas said he has drawn from his experiences is that it helps to discuss the importance of religion to Americans.

Many are surprised to hear about the prominence and prevalence of religion in the United States, he said, since they often learn about U.S. culture from entertainment that doesn't capture a complete picture of American life.

"I think that's something that is a barrier and breeds a lack of trust in who we are, because religion is so important to them," he said.

For more:
- go to the event webpage (archived webcast available)

Read more about: CSIS, India
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By David Perera

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5. Coast Guard sends icebreaker to Antarctic for first time since 2006

Free, over-the-air terrestrial television and radio broadcasting is a key element of disaster response, the International Telecommunication Union says in a draft report released in late November.

The one-to-many nature of broadcasting means that so long as transmission capabilities exist, victims with access to receivers will have access to updated information. Unlike communications networks, which may fail after a disaster due to sudden and rushed demand to bandwidth or due to power loss, broadcast transmission is often robust and characterized by multiple local providers.

"If one or a few radio and television broadcasters are not able to remain in service, or have an outage, other broadcast signals are usually available," writes an ITU radio communications study group.

Moreover, most broadcasters have disaster plans for keeping their signals on the air, such as owning backup generators or secondary locations. "The broadcast imperative is to be on the air and available at all times, especially during emergency situations," the draft report notes. Trusted as sources of accurate information, broadcasters can direct individuals to places where help is available and help manage expectations on the arrival of aid by reporting on its progress. When linked via altering systems to official emergency information channels, stations can repeat messages from governmental authorities very quickly.

The report also notes that within the United States, the Emergency Alert System uses broadcasters of all types to deliver messages, and is designed to be available under all conditions.

The report does acknowledge that disasters can cause people to lose all their belongings, stating that "ideally, radios and portable/mobile television receivers must be commonly available, so that the information being broadcast can be received and passed on across the disaster area."

The minimum requirement for an emergency radio is that it doesn't require plug-in electricity and has both FM and AM bands, the paper adds.

For more:
- download the draft report (.docx)

Read more about: Emergency Alert System
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By David Perera

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