Echo Stream Team Summaries

East Shore's Best - University of St Andrews

Aim to set up a center with the focus of monitoring public media and countering identified disinformation as well as being actively involved in circulating corrected information during upcoming elections of NATO States:   

Focusing on election periods narrows the scope the unit to the most sensitive times during which disinformation may be spread

Acting as a resource available for NATO Member States in time of need rather than automatically tackling the circulation of disinformation

Focusing on monitoring public media rather than the spread of private information, keeping in consideration legal privacy requirements

Collaborating with stakeholders who are trusted and influential in the regions at hand to gain public trust and account for regional media differences

ZBD Thinkers - University of Warsaw

This project proposes Prevention, Prediction, and Counteraction as a solution to the case concerning disinformation in social media. Prevention is understood as reaching out to common users by publishing articles about disinformation and offering free trainings on the topic. Prediction is about an implementation of AI in order to help analytical teams detect conflicts on time. Last but not least, Counteraction is about sending alert signals about possible disinformation while maintaining full transparency in actions. In conclusion, the PPC method should not only successfully spread awareness, thus educate social media users, but also reduce future disinformation online.

Net-Tech Warriors - Old Dominion University

The spread of disinformation on social media platforms has been, and continues to have a destabilizing effect on NATO partner countries and their election integrity. In order to best combat this problem, information from edge and vulnerable countries can be aggregated by ACT in Norfolk and analyzed in real time using existing technologies such as AI-FELIX. The capabilities of these technologies can be rapidly upgraded with the TEXAS project framework. Trends of disinformation can then be distributed to affected countries from centralized NATO command, and through partnership with cooperative social media platforms. Each country using this NATO SAR can then take actions that best suit their geopolitical climate, based upon SOPs that would be developed based on past effective actions. Costs of using existing technologies is minimal, and would include upgrades to existing data storage facilities in Norfolk.

Magenta Commandos - Muskingum University

Stopping the spread of misinformation is a nearly impossible task. Our solution recognizes this and instead focuses on combating misinformation with facts. Our dashboard will visualize the scale of misinformation across the globe both broadly and specifically. Social pressure by the general public will force Big Tech as well as Governments to recognize the results of the dashboard and act accordingly. The project should be open source in order to be as transparent as possible, as the goal of the dashboard is to be unbiased and truthful. Financially, the project is affordable. Most costs would stem from the initial creation of the website and necessary API. There would be costs associated with building a data science team and maintaining the site. Trends in the data overtime would reveal the efficacy of the solution. It can serve as a platform upon which other innovations can be built.

NATO Field School - SFU - Simon Fraser University; University of Western Ontario; Queen's University

Two-pronged approach using social-political response with a technical component that combines computer algorithms and human intelligence. Our project scans and identifies information/trends/keywords/events and issues  relevant to the Alliance, seeking out disinformation in order to analyze and disseminate trends and recommend policy approach This approach will utilize NATO’s strengths in interoperability, human capabilities, and multilateral approach by relying on NATO’s edge in technology and expertise and broad sources of knowledge and seeks to make NATO more active and transparent by sharing the results of its analysis with public outlets. The feasibility of this approach is within the means and capabilities of NATO, utilizing existing technologies and resources that can be implemented within the calendar year. We have chosen Latvia and Estonia as framework nations to provide leadership and training, other NATO nations will follow. The human component will ensure close monitoring of changes in trends that will aid in informing the technical component

Swamp Monsters - Georgetown University; University of Texas, Dallas

Team Triceratops - Bryn Mawr College; Haverford College; Swarthmore College

Possible Poker - William & Mary

Firstly, NATO should focus on implementing an education plan to raise awareness in Ukraine of the existence and signs of disinformation in the news and social media. Within schools, NATO will work to infuse critical thinking and research methods within each core subject to highlight specific areas in which disinformation is prevalent. This will prove to be both feasible and sustainable as students will understand and continue to learn about disinformation which will create a more mature and free-thinking online community. 

Furthermore, NATO will expand their social media presence, working alongside nonprofits, in order to combat the spread of misinformation in Ukraine. This includes buying Facebook ads to provide the general public with educational information regarding cyberspace security and disinformation, specifically within politics. While the educational plan targets the younger generation, a larger social media presence will allow NATO to educate adults.