It’s incredible to see how a gathering of bright minds from all corners of the globe can converge on a single, pressing issue that affects us all. Imagine academics, researchers, and experts – each carrying a unique perspective shaped by their own continent’s history, culture, and challenges – all meeting in the vibrant, intellectual hub of the University of Amsterdam. This wasn’t just any academic conference; it was a crucial dialogue, supported by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, focused on unraveling the complex, ever-evolving beast that is the “infrastructure of influence operations.” Think of it as a global brain trust, bringing together insights from Russia to Southeast Asia, the Middle East to Europe, Taiwan to North Africa, all striving to understand how digital influence really works and how it’s reshaping our world.
The deep conversations that unfolded in those Amsterdam discussion rooms highlighted a stark reality: the disinformation industry isn’t some rare, isolated event anymore. It’s not a glitch in the system; it’s a feature. It’s become deeply ingrained, interconnected, and operates across national borders with alarming sophistication. This isn’t just about clever algorithms, though they play a significant role. It’s about real people, strategic resources, and powerful ideologies that are all working in concert. The impact of this pervasive network is staggering, touching everything from the integrity of our election processes and the resilience of our democratic systems to the effectiveness of governance itself. Even our collective ability to tackle monumental global challenges like climate change is being subtly yet significantly undermined by these influence operations. It’s a bit like a hidden current, steadily pulling us towards an uncertain future, and these academics were determined to map its flow.
One of the key figures representing the Asian perspective was Wijayanto, S.IP., M.Si., Ph.D. For him, this wasn’t just another academic talk shop. He saw it as a profound call to action, a shared responsibility to cultivate a robust and sustainable global research network. His vision extended beyond simply discussing the problem; it was about actively contributing to solutions. A tangible outcome he championed was the preparation of a special journal issue dedicated to this very topic – the infrastructure of influence. This initiative wasn’t just about documenting findings; it was about pioneering a long-term strategy for monitoring disinformation challenges. He drew inspiration from the groundbreaking research pioneered by the University of Oxford on “cyber troops” and “computational propaganda,” recognizing the immense value of sustained, in-depth observation. It’s like building a global early warning system for the digital age, powered by collaborative intellect.
What ultimately made this conference so powerful wasn’t just the exchange of scholarly papers or the lively panel discussions. It was a shared moment of realization, a convergence of diverse voices where differences in accents, historical narratives, and political contexts melted away. Despite their varied backgrounds, everyone in that room came to a common, undeniable conclusion: the world is grappling with a remarkably similar global phenomenon. Whether you were from Moscow or Manila, Cairo or Cardiff, the insidious nature of influence operations and disinformation resonated as a universal threat. It was a potent moment of collective awareness, solidifying the understanding that this challenge transcends individual nations and demands a united, global response.
As the discussions drew to a close, a palpable sense of shared purpose filled the room. The participants, having wrestled with the complexities of digital influence for days, emerged with clear, actionable steps for the future. Firstly, they solidified their understanding that the disinformation industry isn’t just massive; it’s intricately structured, a truly global phenomenon. They stressed that this “disinformation infrastructure” isn’t solely driven by technology and algorithms. Crucially, it’s also underpinned by complex networks of human actors, well-funded organizations, and interconnected ideologies. The consequences, they agreed, are far-reaching: a direct assault on the quality of our democracies, the integrity of governance, the very fabric of social cohesion, and society’s ability to tackle critical global issues like climate change with clear-eyed determination. It was a stark picture, painted with the brushstrokes of collective expertise.
Secondly, a concrete plan began to take shape: a special issue of an international journal. This wasn’t merely a suggestion; it was a commitment to compile groundbreaking findings from multiple regions into a cohesive, impactful publication. The ambition was set high, with an initial draft slated for completion by the coming autumn. This wasn’t just an academic exercise; it was envisioned as a tangible manifestation of cross-national academic collaboration, a testament to what can be achieved when minds unite across borders. Thirdly, and perhaps most strategically, the participants pledged to build a long-term collaborative monitoring system for the global disinformation industry. This wasn’t about fleeting observations; it was about establishing a systematic, comparative, cross-country monitoring framework. The goal was ambitious: to regularly map the dynamic evolution of influence operations using robust, empirical data. This sustained approach, they believed, was the only way to truly understand and combat this constantly shifting menace.
This far-reaching initiative drew significant inspiration from the pioneering work conducted at the University of Oxford. Publications like “The Rise of the Disinformation Industry,” “Cyber Troops,” and “Computational Propaganda” served as guiding lights, showcasing the power of consistently mapping the actors, strategies, and underlying infrastructures of digital propaganda across diverse countries. What these Oxford studies demonstrated, and what the Amsterdam gathering aimed to replicate and expand upon, was the critical importance of sustained observation and seamless cross-regional collaboration. It’s a continuous, vigilant watch, pooling insights from different parts of the world to form a more complete picture of the global information landscape.
The network forged in Amsterdam committed itself to a series of vital actions. They would regularly map the actors and the complex infrastructures that fuel influence operations. They pledged to construct a comprehensive, comparative cross-country database, a treasure trove of information that would allow for deeper analysis and understanding. Producing a consistent stream of serial and thematic publications was also high on their agenda, ensuring that their evolving insights reached a broad audience. Crucially, they committed to disseminating their findings not just within academic circles, but to policymakers who hold the levers of power, to civil society organizations working on the ground, and to the broader international community, empowering them with the knowledge needed to counter these threats effectively.
This meeting also marked a significant milestone: the final phase of a long-standing research collaboration that began in 2022 and encompassed work on Cyber Troops and Social Media Influence Operations specifically within Southeast Asia. This regional effort, involving esteemed colleagues like Ward Berenschot, Yatun Sastramidjaja, Kris Ruijgrok, Janjira Sombatpoonsiri, and Fatima Gaw, among others, had now blossomed into something far grander – a truly global network. It was a beautiful example of how localized expertise can seed a worldwide movement. This evolution signifies a pivotal shift in how influence operations are studied. No longer are these critical investigations conducted in isolation or as fleeting, short-term projects. Instead, there’s a powerful, collective drive towards building a sustainable, structured, and profoundly impactful global research network. This regional collaboration, which began with a focused lens, has now opened new horizons, and these global partnerships are not only strengthening UNDIP’s commitment but also actively propelling it towards its aspiration of becoming a World-Class University, contributing meaningfully to global challenges.