Is the Department of Defense’s TikTok ban a defence strategy or a recruitment roadblock?
This paper examines whether the Department of Defense’s TikTok ban is a defence strategy or a recruitment roadblock. In a digital age defined by hashtags and viral videos, the U.S. military confronts a formidable challenge: how to adapt its recruitment strategies to resonate with a generation steeped in digital culture, without compromising the nation’s security. This issue sits at the heart of a broader debate about digital engagement and operational security in the 21st century.
In fiscal year 2023, the Department of Defense missed its recruitment goals by 41,000 recruits. It stated that family ties to the service are declining, making traditional recruitment channels less appealing to today’s youth. In 1995, 40% of youth had a military parent; by 2022, only 12% did. The military and younger generations are disconnected at a time when internet platforms shape cultural and social narratives and are the main marketing and recruiting tool. Most military recruiters use social media to reach young Americans. In April 2023, Military.com reported that military recruiters were using TikTok to fill the recruitment shortfall. They are using its immense reach among 64 million monthly U.S. users aged 16–34, the military’s target recruitment age. The platform’s #militarylife hashtag has over 6.7 billion views, and some military-centric accounts have millions of followers, demonstrating its engagement power.
Despite this unparalleled connection with potential recruits, the military’s use of TikTok has sparked controversy. ByteDance, a Chinese business, owns TikTok, which lawmakers and privacy experts worry could share data with the Chinese Communist Party, creating a national security threat. Recent technical advances interacting with warfare fuel these fears.
The combination of social media platforms like TikTok with geolocation data and phone signals shows that modern conflict is fought in the digital arena, where knowledge is both a weapon and a vulnerability. TikTok’s exploitation potential goes beyond privacy concerns to the prospect of adversaries obtaining sensitive data and servicemember locations for blackmail and espionage.
The War in Ukraine illustrates the potency of social media, geolocation data, and cell signals in shaping military outcomes. Russia’s use of social media, including fake TikTok accounts, has aimed at espionage and spreading false narratives to deflect blame and erode support for Ukraine. Conversely, Ukraine has leveraged social media not only to counter Russian propaganda but also to monitor Russian movements in real-time. This digital battleground’s impact was starkly evident when Russian mobile phone activity inadvertently aided Ukraine in pinpointing Russian soldiers’ coordinates, resulting in a devastating attack that claimed numerous lives, underscoring the consequences of lax digital security practices in an era of borderless information flow.
In response to growing concerns over cybersecurity, the U.S. government has proactively taken steps to mitigate potential threats. In June 2023, the Defense Department took a decisive stance in June 2023 by banning TikTok on all government devices and systems. The House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill on March 13, 2024, urging ByteDance to divest TikTok within six months to avoid a national ban. This move highlights the government’s concern over cybersecurity threats from digital platforms like TikTok and the need to balance digital engagement complexities with national security interests. A Pew Research Center survey reveals a generational divide in perceptions of cybersecurity, with a significant portion of Americans viewing TikTok as a potential threat, but less so among the youth.
Military recruiters have circumvented the ban by utilizing their devices to recruit from TikTok’s large user base. U.S. Army Sergeant Georgia Varoucha, @njrecruiter on TikTok, is renowned. Through direct ban violations on her phone, she has nearly half a million followers and 9.6 million “likes.” It took six months for her TikTok account to effect recruitment, according to Defense One. However, it now accounts for 45% of her recruitment, demonstrating how compliance and strategic innovation can reach a younger, tech-savvy audience despite cybersecurity worries. Her activities nonetheless contravene the Department of Defense’s policy against service personnel using personal devices for official activity.
This delicate approach to internet recruitment, balancing security restrictions with the desire to communicate with a key population, highlights the institutional challenge in military recruitment techniques.
The military must tackle digital challenges with agility and insight. This demands a multidimensional strategy that stresses cyber-awareness and digital literacy as well as secure, verified social media interaction. Such approaches would help the military recruit and defend against modern warfare’s cybersecurity risks. The military must change its mentality about digital engagement and security as well as its tactics and equipment.
Potential solutions the military should consider.
Immediate Implementation of a Military Influencer Pilot Program:
A swift and impactful measure the military can adopt is launching a pilot program focused on building a coordinated network of military influencers. This initiative would tap into uniformed service members who already boast significant social media followings, leveraging their platforms for authentic engagement and recruitment messaging. This action is not only viable but also expedient, given the pre-existing audience and influence of these service members. To enhance the effectiveness and credibility of this network, the military should offer special duty assignments and pay incentives, akin to standard practices in the marketing industry where influencers are compensated for their reach and impact.
Additionally, public relations, cybersecurity, ethical, and legal training is essential. Avoiding operational security breaches by removing metadata from photos or posting asynchronously are examples of safe sharing of military content. Another important element is verifying military influencers’ accounts with app providers to boost credibility and prevent deception.
Strategic Partnerships with Trusted Social Media Platforms
Strategic partnerships with US platforms like Meta Platforms, Reddit, Alphabet Inc., Amazon, and Snap Inc. are essential after the influencer campaign begins. The military needs these relationships to open secure, verifiable channels to Gen Z. These services are safer than TikTok due to their security and Gen Z user base. The military can generate targeted information and recruitment using cybersecurity regulations and creative approaches through these partnerships.
A military influencer pilot program and smart partnerships with trustworthy platforms meet the need for creative recruitment and digital engagement. U.S.-owned and secured digital platforms are used to connect, engage, and recruit the next generation of defenders for US firms, circumventing the TikTok prohibition.
References
DOD Addresses Recruiting Shortfall Challenges https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3616786/dod-addresses-recruiting-shortfall-challenges/
Despite being officially banned, Army recruiter says she recruits almost half of her soldiers on TikTok https://popularmilitary.com/despite-being-officially-banned-army-recruiter-says-she-recruits-almost-half-of-her-soldiers-on-tiktok/
We must stop China from using TikTok against America https://www.rubio.senate.gov/icymi-rubio-stop-china-from-using-tiktok-against-america/
ARMS AND INFLUENCERS: LEVERAGING THE SOCIAL MEDIA STARS IN THE US MILITARY’S RANKS https://mwi.westpoint.edu/arms-and-influencers-leveraging-the-social-media-stars-in-the-us-militarys-ranks/
War for talent: Army Guard recruiters find success in social media https://reservenationalguard.com/recruiting-and-retention/war-for-talent-army-guard-recruiters-find-success-in-social-media/
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