Who controls information?

INFORMATION is one of the most important components of power, and like other similar components of power, it attracts the attention of ambitious and power-hungry people. Political and military thinkers from Sun Tzu to Machiavelli to Kautilya have written about the importance of controlling information, and their observations are just as true today as they were hundreds of years ago.

From doxing servers to industrial/corporate espionage to actual espionage among major world powers, information has become a commodity that’s every bit as important as oil and precious metals. That’s not to say that this is a new phenomenon. Elites all over the world have always regarded information as very important because it allowed them to create and implement their plans. What makes our time different is the presence of the internet, higher literacy rates and mass consumerism, all of which have turned information into a commodity, and like all commodities, the state feels the need to control it.

In some cases, this control can manifest as something mundane and harmless, like banning porn on the internet or punishing cyber-bullies. However, it can also become something ominous, like mass propaganda and targeted censorship. If you don’t think this is a big issue, look at censorship laws in the PRC and hate crime laws in the West.

States want to control information because information is power, or more specifically soft power. It is actually the most common type of soft power, and states which do not practice “freedom of speech” are effectively suppressing this power. So the next time you read about fake news or free speech or even censorship, just remember that this has little to do with what you have to say. It’s about the power of information, and who controls that information.

Powerful people recognize the soft power of speech/information, which is why they are actively trying to control the internet, the largest modern platform of information. Control the media (information platforms, like news, radio, TV and the internet), and you control information. Control information and you control the mind. Control the mind, and you maintain power.

This is why free speech is precious, and why throughout history it is the exception rather than the rule. Information is dangerous, especially to those who control it. If an elite cannot control what the public and masses think then they will lose their soft power, at which point they will be forced to rely on brute force, which is a poor substitute for social control and incentives. States that rely hard power alone are brittle and vulnerable to rebellion.

So the next time you hear about fake news or biased media reporting, just remember that it isn’t always about the truth or accuracy. In many cases, it’s about power through the framing and use of information./PN