NDC Outlook 2026-01: War is a mind game: countering weaponised information, by Marek Havlik and Jiří Horáček1
Summary
Cognitive warfare is the weaponisation of information that exploits natural cognitive vulnerabilities to disrupt, manipulate and control individuals’ perceptions of reality.
NATO’s current countermeasures, such as pre-bunking, strategic communications, and trust-building efforts, don’t fully address the deeper psychological and cognitive vulnerabilities targeted in cognitive warfare.
In addition to common cognitive vulnerabilities like emotions, cognitive biases, and uncertainty, other critical traits are being exploited on the cognitive battlefield to manipulate and control vulnerable individuals.
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