Russian Propaganda: Britain a ‘Soft Target’, Expert Warns

Britain has become a “soft target” for state propaganda and information warfare due to a critical lack of public education on online manipulation, according to security experts.

Vulnerability to Information Warfare

Fiona Hill, a former White House adviser and security expert, told a parliamentary committee that the UK is “extraordinarily vulnerable” to online manipulation. She attributed this risk to a lack of discussion regarding civil defence.

Hill stated that the UK increasingly appears as a “soft target” because modern conflict is fought using diverse methods, including propaganda. She argued that the country is not prepared to educate its citizens on how to handle these threats.

The Swedish Model of Psychological Defence

Hill contrasted the UK’s situation with Sweden, which utilizes a concept called “psychological defence.” This approach trains people to recognize when they are being manipulated by information warfare.

Sweden established a psychological defence agency in 2022 to work with the public and highlight disinformation. Four years ago, the unit countered false narratives from sources in Egypt claiming Swedish social services were kidnapping Muslim children for corrupt purposes.

These narratives were believed by some, particularly within immigrant communities, until the agency identified and quashed the disinformation.

Calls for a National Defence Strategy

The testimony was delivered to parliament’s joint committee on national security strategy during an inquiry into building societal resilience in the online era.

George Robertson, a former Nato secretary general, joined Hill in recommending that the government engage the general public in conversations about risks posed by Russia, China, and Iran. Both co-authored last year’s Strategic Defence Review.

Robertson highlighted the urgency of the situation, noting that Prime Minister Keir Starmer has warned of a possible Russian attack on Nato by the end of the decade.

Robertson stated that despite pledges to communicate these risks, the government has not yet started. He argued that defending the country requires an “all of country approach” and cannot be left solely to the armed forces.

Hill compared the current need for information training to the Troubles in Northern Ireland, where the public was successfully educated on the dangers of unattended bags. She suggested that government concerns about causing public panic have prevented the state from testing whether citizens are open to direct communication about these threats.