Manila: To neutralize threats caused by "Foreign Information Manipulation Interference" or FIMI, a ranking National Security Council (NSC) official on Friday said democratic societies must use a "whole-of-nation strategy."
According to Philippines News Agency, NSC Assistant Director General Cornelio Valencia Jr. emphasized the need for this comprehensive approach on the second day of "Navigating Digital Crossroads: Advancing Cybersecurity and Democratic Resilience in the Indo-Pacific." The conference was co-organized by Stratbase Institute and the Embassy of Canada.
He stated that the NSC has developed a working draft for FIMI resilience. This draft includes strengthening societal and cognitive resilience through education and media literacy, enhancing the protection of the information ecosystem via transparency and accountability, and improving detection and early warning against interference and influence operations.
Valencia explained that FIMI operations use sophisticated tactics to manipulate public perception and distort national discourse. These tactics include fake news, "deepfake" technology, and fabricated information, all designed to mislead the public and undermine trust in institutions.
He added that FIMI also incites panic and social division through manipulative amplification of conflicts. Furthermore, it creates persistent narratives that portray change as impossible, fostering a sense of futility.
Valencia suggested strengthening trusted information channels and safeguarding elections and other institutional information systems as means to combat FIMI. Building social cohesion, reducing polarization, and protecting against neurotechnologies and AI manipulation were also recommended.
He stressed that the goal is to maintain transparent and informed public discourse aligned with national interests. Valencia noted that FIMI operators exploit both traditional and social media, using troll networks and deploying proxies to amplify and legitimize their narratives.
If unchallenged, FIMI can reshape democratic processes, normalize manipulation, and make societies dependent on narratives crafted by malign actors. Valencia emphasized that protecting the nation from these threats is a collective mission of every citizen.
"As modern conflicts shift from physical domains to realms of perception and cognition, our greatest defense lies in an informed, vigilant, and resilient nation," Valencia concluded.
