Policing the Megacity with Social Media Intelligence: Controlling the Uncontrollable
Abstract
By harvesting data from the "virtual world," lines of effort in a megacity become vastly more important than physical lines. Since we can now "see" barriers, boundaries, and divisions through the aggregation of data via social media, the need to draw physical boundaries using physical or geographic boundaries is not as important when operating in a megacity. Mapping network usage, trends, keywords, and density provides insight and predictability in terms of focus of effort and potential precision targeting. Fighting in the megacity requires development of social media intelligence resources and capabilities to integrate with host nation civil authorities. The social media capabilities involve the establishment of specially trained teams that require technical training and specialized skillsets, tools, and access to tap into the intelligence value of all forms of social media. The social media teams must become experts in crowdsourcing, data mining and targeted monitoring and filtering of continuous data streams, gathering real time intelligence to produce accurate "triggers" integrated within commanders' decision support templates. Allowing local civil authorities to remain in control, supported by military ISR capabilities, produces effective/efficient results, without creating insurgencies, or increasing tensions (a "tipping point").
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 07, 2015
- Accession Number
- AD1175860
Entities
People
- Kurt M. Gall
Organizations
- Marine Corps University