Messing with the Enemy

Clint Watts electrified the nation when he testified in front of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election. In Messing with the Enemy, the counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and homeland security expert introduces us to a frightening world in which terrorists and cyber criminals don’t just hack your computer; they also hack your mind. Watts reveals how these malefactors use your social media information and that of your family, friends, and colleagues to map your social networks, identify your vulnerabilities, master your fears, and harness your preferences. Social media manipulators using openly available information have convinced business executives to cough up millions in fraudulent wire transfers, radicalized seemingly good kids to join the Islamic State, and changed the minds of staunch anti-Communist Reagan Republicans who now cheer the Russian government’s hacking of the Democratic National Committee. Watts knows how they do it because he’s mirrored their methods to understand their intentions, combat their actions, and disrupt their efforts. Watts examines a range of social media platforms to illuminate exactly how our enemies use Western social media for their nefarious purposes. He explains how he’s learned, through his successes and his failures, to engage with hackers, terrorists, and even the Russians—and how these interactions have generated methods for fighting back against those who seek to harm people on the internet. Watts concludes with a snapshot of how advances in artificial intelligence will make future influence even more effective and dangerous to social media users and democratic governments worldwide. Shocking, funny, and eye-opening, Messing with the Enemy is a deeply urgent guide for living safe and smart in a super-connected world.