Digital Defence: The real conspiracy is our own ignorance

he government that can’t pay income tax refunds on time is somehow involved in a massive conspiracy to control citizens with an identification card. A vaccine to save lives in the middle of the worst pandemic in a century is really a deadly poison – a convicted fraudster told us so.

There is no such thing as climate change; the US government is manipulating the weather to its own nefarious ends. TikTok said so.

There is a call to resistance against a phantom army of government officials in some basement watching our every move. Yet, every minute of the day, we give up massive amounts of saleable, personal microdata on our habits, meals, spending and locations to nameless multinational corporations, without giving a second thought to the technology we bought to listen to our every word.

Believe all this, if you will. We have a bunch of Nigerian folks willing to send you millions of dollars if only you send them your account number. Click send.

We live in a world that is increasingly mad, bad and dangerous to know, where thousands share and receive all manner of lies and half-truths. Even far-right propaganda driven by white nationalists and Russian intelligence makes it to our shores and is shared between not-so-verysmart phones.

All the while, people are being fleeced of their hard-earned money, losing precious data to crooks and becoming targets for identity theft.

Now comes the latest of several incursions into the computers of government ministries and publicly owned enterprises. In the wake of the recent data breach at the Barbados Revenue Authority, where sensitive personal information was compromised and offered for sale online, it has become abundantly clear that our society faces not only cyber threats but also a broader landscape of misinformation and disinformation that imperils our democracy.

In this digital wild west – coinciding with rising, often misplaced distrust in institutions – we need more than the proverbial cavalry. Citizens need to arm themselves with critical thinking skills and media literacy in both school and adult education contexts.

Critical thinking equips individuals with the skills to analyse information, discern credible sources, and make informed decisions. In an era where misinformation spreads like wildfire, fostering these skills is essential for all citizens. Integrating critical thinking into educational curricula would empower students to question the validity of what they encounter online. This is not merely an academic exercise; it is a vital tool in safeguarding our democratic values and building public trust in institutions.

We suggest that critical thinking and principles of reasoning are going to prove to be no less vital in growing an enterprising, innovative nation than the latest bright shiny things in national curricula – robotics and coding, animation and game design – areas that will soon be unrecognisable in a short space of time.

Certainly, a democratic society cannot survive without an informed citizenry that is powered by a free press. Media now is everywhere, of varying degrees of quality, credibility and relevance. A nation that has long given up following the news for the reality show is not real, and is unlikely to survive, we argue.

This is why we contend that alongside critical thinking, media literacy must be prioritised.

Understanding how to navigate the complexities of digital media enables individuals to identify biased reporting and deceptive narratives. By teaching citizens how to critically evaluate news sources and recognise manipulation tactics, we can create a more informed electorate capable of resisting the allure of sensationalism and propaganda. This education should extend beyond traditional schooling into adult education programmes, ensuring that all members of society are equipped to engage thoughtfully with the information they consume.

We go even further to suggest that meaningful civic education should be another cornerstone in our fight against ignorance regarding governance. Despite the introduction of social studies in primary schools and civics in some secondary schools, too many Barbadians lack a fundamental understanding of how their government operates and the rights they possess within it.

The gaps in knowledge can be bridged by incorporating civic education not only into our schools but our community programming. An informed citizenry is essential for a functioning democracy; when people understand their role in governance, they are more likely to engage constructively with public institutions rather than succumb to apathy or distrust.

In sum, it’s more than the battle of the breach. Way more. It is indeed right that we bolster our cybersecurity measures and educate the population to think well before they click. It is also important to fortify our society against the insidious threats posed by misinformation.

Enhancing cybersecurity will increasingly be a part of the national security and home affairs of this nation. We must continue to support the administration’s effort to bolster the capability of our armed forces and protective services to track down criminals and prevent future breaches.

But the administration, with relevant and meaningful support from the private sector, should complement these efforts with initiatives that promote critical thinking, media literacy and civic education.

In moving forward from the BRA incident and its Russian-speaking miscreants, we believe there must also be a holistic approach to education—one that prepares individuals not just to protect their personal data but also to defend democracy itself.

Fostering a culture of inquiry and understanding will build resilience against the myriad threats that seek to undermine our society’s foundations and weaken our democracy, from without and within. No conspiracies need apply.