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Course

Activism in cyberspace as a hybrid threats counter

Academic year 2023-2024

Jean Monnet Module Erasmus+

“Civil society in conflict resolution process:

the EU experience for Ukraine”

101084973 — EURoCoRP — ERASMUS-JMO-2022-HEI-TCH-RSCH

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ACTIVISM IN CYBERSPACE AS A HYBRID THREATS COUNTER

Course Content (1)

Topic 1: Hybrid threats in social networks: the realities of the XXI century.

Topic 2: Classification of social networks.

Topic 3: Mechanisms of inciting conflicts in social networks.

Topic 4: Types of information influences.

Topic 5: Infodemia and Information Chaos.

Topic 6: Public practice of counteracting misinformation and propaganda.

Topic 7: Media literacy.

Topic 8: Development of Soft skills to counter misinformation and propaganda.

Topic 9: European information policy.

Topic 10: Information policy of Ukraine.

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Topic 11: Regulatory regulation of information security.

Topic 12: Anti-disinformation policy: EU practice, implementation in Ukraine.

Topic 13: EU Disinformation Organization.

Topic 14: Information warfare and operations of influence.

Topic 15: Cyberwarfare - threat awareness and counteraction.

Topic 16: Attacking information weapon.

Topic 17: New technologies in mitigating and countering hybrid threats.

Topic 18: Information security and cybersecurity.

Topic 19: Regulatory and Legal Enforcement of Cyber Security in Countries of the European Union: The Experience for Ukraine.

Topic 20: The vulnerability of cyberspace: Ukraine.

ACTIVISM IN CYBERSPACE AS A HYBRID THREATS COUNTER

Course Content (2)

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Topic 2: Classification of social networks

  • Types of social networks: closed; open; mixed.
  • Opportunities and disadvantages of open social networks.
  • Functionality of closed and mixed social networks.
  • Global and regional social networks.
  • Personal, professional, and thematic social networks.
  • Division of social networks by types of activity.

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Types of social networks: closed; open; mixed (1)

За типом контенту:

  • Текстові платформи (X, Reddit), основний акцент на текстовому контенті
  • Відеоплатформи (YouTube, TikTok), акцент на відеоконтент
  • Іміджеві платформи (Instagram, Pinterest, фокус на зображеннях та фотографіях
  • Блогові платформи (Tumblr, Medium), зосереджені на довших формах тексту та блогах

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Types of social networks: closed; open; mixed (2)

За типом взаємодії:

  • Професійні мережі (LinkedIn), для професійних зв'язків та кар'єрного зростання
  • Загальні мережі (Facebook, VKontakte), для соціальних інтеракцій з друзями та сім'єю.
  • Датинг-платформи (Tinder, Bumble), для знайомств і створення романтичних відносин.

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Types of social networks: closed; open; mixed (3)

За аудиторією:

  • Молодіжні платформи (Snapchat, TikTok), популярні серед підлітків та молоді
  • Платформи для старших груп (Facebook), більше використовуються старшими групами населення

За метою використання:

  • Освітні мережі (Academia.edu, ResearchGate), для академічних і дослідницьких цілей
  • Розважальні мережі (Instagram, YouTube), для розваги та дозвілля
  • Комунікативні мережі (WhatsApp, Telegram), зосереджені на повідомленнях і комунікації

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Types of social networks: closed; open; mixed (4)

За відкритістю:

  • Закриті
  • Відкриті
  • Змішані

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Types of social networks: closed; open; mixed (5)

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Opportunities (!) and disadvantages of open social networks (1)

  • Connectivity and Networking: Open social networks facilitate easy connections among people across the globe, promoting both personal relationships and professional networking. Platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook are crucial for making professional contacts and reuniting with old friends or colleagues.
  • Information Sharing and Accessibility: These networks are powerful tools for disseminating information quickly and widely. Users can share news, ideas, and opinions, reaching a broad audience in real-time.
  • Community Building: They allow individuals with similar interests to form communities, share experiences, and support each other. This is particularly valuable for niche hobbies or less common interests.

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Opportunities (!) and disadvantages of open social networks (2)

  • Educational and Awareness Opportunities: Educational content, tutorials, and news can be widely shared, increasing public knowledge and awareness on a variety of topics.
  • Business and Marketing: Businesses use these networks to engage with customers, market products, and manage their brand identity. The vast reach and low cost of digital marketing on platforms like Instagram and Twitter can be particularly advantageous for small businesses.

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Opportunities and disadvantages (!) of open social networks (3)

  • Privacy Concerns: The open nature of these networks can lead to privacy issues, as personal information can be easily accessed or misused by third parties. Users often share more than they realize, potentially leading to data breaches or identity theft.
  • Misinformation and Fake News: The same features that allow for quick information sharing can also spread misinformation and fake news rapidly. This can lead to public confusion and misinformed decisions on critical issues.
  • Cyberbullying and Harassment: Open networks can be breeding grounds for cyberbullying and harassment, with users sometimes hiding behind anonymity to target others.

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Opportunities and disadvantages (!) of open social networks (4)

  • Mental Health Issues: There's growing concern over the impact of social media on mental health, including issues like depression, anxiety, and self-esteem problems, particularly among teens and young adults.
  • Over-reliance on Digital Communication: Heavy use of social media can lead to a decrease in face-to-face interactions, potentially weakening real-life social skills and relationships.
  • Economic Disparities: While open social networks theoretically level the playing field, in reality, those with more resources can leverage advanced marketing tools and data analytics to dominate these platforms, potentially overshadowing smaller entities or voices.

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Functionality of closed and mixed social networks (1)

Functionality of Closed Social Networks:

  • Privacy and Security: Strong control over who can join and interact within the network. This setup is ideal for sensitive communications like business strategies or personal discussions among close friends and family.
  • Targeted Communication: Allows for more focused and relevant discussions among members with shared interests or roles, such as employees within a company or members of a professional association.
  • Enhanced Control: Administrators can closely monitor and manage membership and interactions, which helps maintain the network's purpose and protects against spam or irrelevant content.
  • Customization: Often, these networks are highly customizable to suit the specific needs of the group, including tailored features like calendars, document repositories, and specialized communication tools.

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Functionality of closed and mixed social networks (2)

Functionality of Mixed Social Networks:

  • Versatility: These networks cater to both broad and specific audiences, allowing for public sharing and private interactions within the same platform.
  • Controlled Sharing: Users can decide the privacy level of their posts and interactions, choosing to communicate or share content publicly, semi-privately (e.g., friends only or within specific groups), or privately.
  • Broad and Niche Engagement: While they provide a platform for wide-reaching engagement, these networks also support niche communities and specialized interests through closed groups or targeted pages.
  • Balanced Interaction: They offer a balance between the expansive reach of open networks and the confidentiality of closed networks, which can be particularly useful for professional networking and community building.

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Global and regional social networks (1)

Global social networks have a wide-reaching influence and user base, spanning multiple continents and cultures. They are designed to cater to a diverse international audience and are typically available in multiple languages:

  • Facebook: Dominates social networking worldwide with features that cater to personal, professional, and community needs.
  • X: Used globally for real-time communication and is particularly popular for public discourse and news sharing.
  • Instagram: Focuses on visual content and has a massive global user base, making it ideal for personal and brand storytelling.
  • LinkedIn: The leading professional network with a global presence, used for career development and professional networking.

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Global and regional social networks (2)

Regional social networks are tailored to specific geographic locations or cultural groups. They may be popular in certain countries or regions where global networks might not have as strong a presence due to cultural relevance, language, or governmental regulations:

  • WeChat and Sina Weibo: Dominant in China, offering a suite of integrated services like messaging, social media, and financial transactions tailored to the Chinese market.
  • VKontakte (VK): The most popular social network in Russia, offering similar features to Facebook but optimized for Russian users.
  • Naver: A South Korean network that integrates social networking with other services like search and news.
  • Badoo: Popular in parts of Europe and Latin America, primarily used for dating and social networking.

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Personal, professional, and thematic social networks (1)

Personal Social Networks: Primarily designed for personal use, these networks help users stay connected with friends and family, share personal experiences, and engage in leisure activities:

  • Facebook: Allows users to post updates, share photos and videos, and interact through comments and likes.
  • Instagram: Focuses on sharing personal photos and videos, with features that support storytelling and visual expression.
  • Snapchat: Known for its ephemeral content, appealing mainly to a younger audience looking to share quick, personal updates.

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Personal, professional, and thematic social networks (2)

Professional Social Networks: These networks are tailored for professional use, facilitating networking, career development, and business interactions:

  • LinkedIn: The leading professional network where users can showcase their CVs, connect with colleagues, and explore job opportunities.
  • Xing: Popular in German-speaking countries, similar to LinkedIn with a focus on professional networking.
  • AngelList: Targets startups and potential investors, offering a platform for job listings in startups and investment opportunities.

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Personal, professional, and thematic social networks (3)

Thematic Social Networks: These networks revolve around specific hobbies, interests, or themes, connecting users who share those interests:

  • Goodreads: Focuses on readers and book recommendations, allowing users to review books and participate in book discussions.
  • Strava: Geared towards athletes and fitness enthusiasts, this network tracks cycling and running exercises and allows sharing of performance stats.
  • Behance: Targets creative professionals like designers and artists who showcase their portfolios and discover others’ creative work.

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Division of social networks by types of activity (1)

Content Sharing Networks are centered around the sharing of various forms of content, including text, photos, videos, and links. They are designed to facilitate the widespread dissemination of information and user-generated content:

  • Instagram: Primarily for photo and video sharing.
  • YouTube: Focuses on video sharing and viewing.
  • Pinterest: Ideal for sharing and categorizing images and ideas.

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Division of social networks by types of activity (2)

Discussion-Based Networks are structured around forums, threads, and posts, allowing users to engage in conversations and debate on a myriad of topics. They emphasize textual interaction and are often used for sharing opinions, advice, and discussions:

  • Reddit: Features a variety of subreddits on almost every topic imaginable where users can post, comment, and vote on content.
  • Quora: A Q&A platform where users can ask questions and provide answers, which are then upvoted or downvoted based on usefulness.

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Division of social networks by types of activity (2)

Discussion-Based Networks are structured around forums, threads, and posts, allowing users to engage in conversations and debate on a myriad of topics. They emphasize textual interaction and are often used for sharing opinions, advice, and discussions:

  • Reddit: Features a variety of subreddits on almost every topic imaginable where users can post, comment, and vote on content.
  • Quora: A Q&A platform where users can ask questions and provide answers, which are then upvoted or downvoted based on usefulness.

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Division of social networks by types of activity (3)

Networking Networks are primarily used for building and maintaining professional or personal connections. They facilitate networking by providing tools for connecting and interacting with others, sharing professional updates, and discovering job opportunities:

  • LinkedIn: Designed for professional networking, job searching, and career development.
  • Facebook: While it supports various types of activities, it remains a powerful tool for maintaining personal connections and networking.

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Division of social networks by types of activity (4)

Multimedia Messaging Networks focused on the exchange of multimedia messages, these networks cater to real-time, personal communication through texts, images, and videos. They often feature disappearing content and are popular among younger demographics:

  • Snapchat: Known for its ephemeral messaging and creative visual content.
  • WhatsApp: Offers messaging, voice, and video calls with end-to-end encryption.

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Division of social networks by types of activity (5)

Blogging and Publishing Networks provide platforms for publishing, discovering, and commenting on long-form content and blogs. They are ideal for writers and readers looking for substantive content:

  • Medium: Offers a clean, accessible platform for writing longer articles and stories.
  • Tumblr: Allows a mix of blogging and social networking with a youthful, creative user base.

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Division of social networks by types of activity (6)

Community and Interest-Based Networks are focused on connecting users with shared interests, hobbies, or demographics. They often include specialized features tailored to the specific needs and preferences of their communities:

  • Goodreads: Connects book lovers, allowing them to review books, share recommendations, and participate in reading challenges.
  • Ravelry: A niche network for knitters and crocheters to share patterns, techniques, and discussions.

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Sources

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Jean Monnet Actions

Useful links

EURoCoRP

Ostroh Academy, NU

European Commission

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Thank you for attention!

Prof. in charge – Dmytro Shevchuk, Doc. Sci.

Co-Lecturer - Sergii Ishchuk, Doc. Sci.

Co-Lecturer - Tetiana Sydoruk, Doc. Sci.

Co-Lecturer - Kateryna Yakunina, PhD

Co-Lecturer - Olena Shershnova, PhD

The National University of Ostroh Academy

https://www.oa.edu.ua/

https://eurocorp.oa.edu.ua/