Trump, Russia, and how not to lose the information war, with Nina Jankowicz

Interesting interview with fellow alumni from Georgetown University, Nina Jankowicz, who studies the intersection of democracy and technology in Central and Eastern Europe. Her book, HOW TO LOSE THE INFORMATION WAR, will be published by Bloomsbury’s IBTauris in Summer 2020. See our review of it here.

Ms. Jankowicz has advised the Ukrainian government on strategic communications under the auspices of a Fulbright-Clinton Public Policy Fellowship.

Her writing has been published by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Foreign Policy, BuzzFeed News, The Wilson Quarterly, and others. She is a frequent commentator on disinformation and Russian and Eastern European affairs, and has been interviewed by CNN’s Christiane Amanpour and PBS’s Judy Woodruff. Prior to her Fulbright grant in Ukraine, Ms. Jankowicz managed democracy assistance programs to Russia and Belarus at the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs. She received her MA in Russian, Eurasian, and East European Studies from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and her BA from Bryn Mawr College.

Trump, Russia, and how not to lose the information war, with Nina Jankowicz

What is your own background briefly?

My family is Polish and Ukrainian, so I’ve always been interested in Eastern Europe. My grandfather was deported from Eastern Poland by the Soviets when he was 10 years old. He and his family spent a few years in a work camp in Archangelsk oblast, in the far north. Hearing his story when I was young absolutely had a bearing on my interest in that part of the world. I did two degrees in Russian and East European studies, and after grad school worked for an organization that supported democracy activists all around the world.

I worked on Russia and Belarus. Tech was an incredibly important aspect of our partners’ lives and work – in authoritarian countries, it was often a safer way for them to connect with their constituents. But as the Ukraine crisis began in 2013, we saw how tech could be used for ill as well. I really wanted to go work in Ukraine at such a pivotal moment in their history, and I had always had a sort of hobby interest in social media, so I went to Ukraine under the auspices of a Fulbright Fellowship to advise the Ukrainian government on strategic communications issues. That’s where the idea for the book was born.

Does it seem like a logical background to what you do now?

Yes, I think it’s a pretty straightforward path, though it hasn’t seemed it, living it! Particularly since 2016 things have gone a bit sideways thanks to the political situation in the US- if you told me when I left for Ukraine that four years later I’d be a published author, I would have laughed in your face. But I care so deeply about these issues and they’ve become so critical to the health of our democracy, that to me, writing seemed like the best use of my expertise.

How was the last 12 months? What were your big wins?

Finishing my manuscript felt pretty great, as did holding my book for the first time- the culmination of three years of work. I was also able to educate some of my fellow Americans about Ukraine when it was thrust into the spotlight during the impeachment proceedings- I hope that had a positive impact. But this year has also thrown me a bunch of curveballs- I certainly didn’t think I’d be launching this book amid a pandemic! That being said, I’m proud to have interacted with lots of different audiences and reached lots of new ears and eyeballs this year.

What would you have done differently?

I think I might have counseled myself to take coronavirus a bit more seriously at the outset. Don’t get me wrong- I was washing my hands frequently and wearing a mask and have basically been at home for four straight months- but early on I still thought there was a chance of a book party in July. Ah well, we’ll celebrate virtually.

1 min pitch for what you are doing now / how are you managing during these corona times?

Everyone needs good reading material right now- your readers should pick up my book if they’re interested in learning about the history of information operations in Central and Eastern Europe and what they as individuals can do to play their part in stopping them! Also, according to my mom, it’s “not boring like most non-fiction books!”

Events have moved fast, how do you feel recent events, running up to the Trump / Putin / Afghanistan kill bounties for example impact on the thesis you were putting forward in your book?

Like I said, I didn’t think I’d be launching this book amid a pandemic or an infodemic, or during disinformation about social unrest in the United States. I did think the President would continue disparaging the press, and sharing disinformation from his platform, however, and I think all the lessons in the book are even more important in this context. Unless we heal the fissures in our society bad actors like Russia will continue to exploit them, whether during a pandemic or political upheaval or any other crisis that comes our way. We need to learn our lessons, and fast.

Trump’s (non)method of policy making seems hard to sustain, what might the future look like in terms of US activities in Eastern Europe and beyond going forwards?

Unfortunately the Trump administration’s policy in Central and Eastern Europe has been like whiplash for many of our allies. On paper, there are some impressive commitments that we’ve made to continue to support them- continued investments in military support in Ukraine, anti-corruption work across the region, media development to counter disinformation. But Trump’s own actions undercut those policies.

His refusal to acknowledge this troop bounty report, for instance, or his phone call with Zelenskyy, in which he conditions US aid to Ukraine, or his continued admiration for President Putin. The policy and the purported policymaker are totally dissonant, and it’s going to take a long time to undo that and regain our allies’ trust, no matter what happens in November. Showing our allies we’re still committed to our values will have to be the first order of business.

We're one week away from Nina Jankowicz's book launch! Sign up now to hear the discussion between @wiczipedia @kennaninstitute and @AshaRangappa_ about the #infodemic and threat of online warfare ? on July 9 https://t.co/jYbiD7g2R0 pic.twitter.com/wyg1cRzEA7

— Science and Technology Innovation Program (@WilsonSTIP) July 2, 2020

Your top tips for winning, rather than losing, the information war?

The most important thing to recognize is that disinformation runs on emotion, so if you’re feeling yourself getting emotional, there’s a good chance you’re being manipulated! Time to walk away from your device (practice “informational distancing”) and maybe do some more research in a little bit to check your source. Anyone can fall victim to this stuff, as examples in the book show. Other than that, our governments desperately need to recognize that disinformation is not a partisan problem- it affects all of us, and ultimately undermines democracy. We need policymakers’ recognition and energy to start to turn the tide and win.

It's been four years since the information war came home, and we are losing.

More on how we can avoid further disaster in my book, out in ONE WEEK! Preorder: https://t.co/UeHuwaqYwS pic.twitter.com/tukqF1RPSR

— Nina Jankowicz (@wiczipedia) July 2, 2020

How can people find out more about you personally & your work?

I’m on Twitter @wiczipedia- this is probably where I’m most active. But I have an Instagram as well (@ninamjank), though it’s much more interesting when I’m traveling regularly!

View this post on Instagram

“Having fun isn’t hard / when you’ve got a library card” -Arthur #library #books #rarebooks #bookstagram

A post shared by Nina Jankowicz (@ninamjank) on Feb 13, 2020 at 8:07am PST

Who and where do you get inspiration from?

I went to a women’s college, so my favorite sources of inspiration are badass women in my field. I’m lucky to have lots of them around, from former Ambassadors, to staffers to make Capitol Hill function, to creative geniuses who help me push myself in my writing and work. I try to pay it forward and support other women to the same degree that they support me, and that is empowering. And particularly in a tech/national security space, which is male dominated, it’s critical!

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