'The headline for me of this fascinating study is "a tweet alone cannot escalate a crisis" - other political and military factors must be in play. But the authors do show clearly how social media campaigns can achieve strategic goals: after the brutal Russian invasion in 2022, for example, Ukraine quickly was able to shape Western narratives about a country "needing all the help it could get". Wonderful insights from two highly experienced observers of the security scene.' Rose Gottemoeller, Steven C. Házy Lecturer at the Center for International Security and Cooperation and Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University; former Deputy Secretary General of NATO 'Freedman and Williams usefully deflate much of the hype over recent Russian, Chinese and other social-media disinformation campaigns, and provide an important warning of the danger of leaders becoming trapped by their own aggressive narratives.' Professor Sir David Omand, King's College London; former UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator 'This book is a compelling and timely exploration of the evolving landscape of information campaigns in the digital age. The authors meticulously dissect case studies ranging from the India-Pakistan crisis to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, offering invaluable insights into how state-led information campaigns can shape international relations and crisis escalation. With its rigorous analysis and thought-provoking content, this book is an essential read for policymakers, scholars and anyone seeking to understand the intricate interplay between social media, information campaigns and geopolitical strategies.

' Eliot Higgins, founder and Creative Director of Bellingcat.