Internal crisis management in the event of malign information influence
When a public-sector actor is subjected to malign information influence, tackling it is a matter of managing and countering the effects of misleading or manipulated information disseminated by foreign powers. Many organisations have a predetermined structure and methodology for the crisis management procedure in their own organisation.
Having decided in advance who is to be informed in suspected crises, the process for potentially calling in team members, and working methods in the team are a way of ensuring effective management and governance in incidents that require special management.
Crisis management team
A crisis management team can be formed in different ways depending on the organisation and incident. In general, it can be said that, in crisis management, there is often a decision-maker and a team, possibly headed by a chief of staff. The task of the team is to provide management support to the decision-maker, thus providing decision-making materials and ensuring that the decisions made are implemented. In incidents involving malign information influence, the team needs to analyse the incident from that perspective. Could it be a case of malign information influence, what impact could it have on the general public and relevant target groups? Based on the conclusions, a decision is made on whether or not to counter the information.
The team contributes to cohesive effort, with the affected parts of the organisation working towards the same goal. By creating a structured approach, the organisation can effectively counter information influence and quickly restore confidence among citizens and other relevant target groups.
Cohesive situational reporting
A key part of the team’s work is to prepare a common and up-to-date situation report so that well-informed decisions can be made. This involves collecting, processing and analysing information concerning an evolving situation while it is unfolding. In information influence, for example, it is important to swiftly recognise that it is happening and the potential implications for your organisation or society’s protective interests.
Cohesive situational reporting enables the team to understand threats and risks and swiftly take action to reduce or neutralise the impact. For public-sector actors, accurate situational reporting means understanding the impact of the situation on the organisation’s operations.
Once a situation report has been prepared, it enables decision-makers to make informed decisions and eases collaboration with other actors, as the situation report can be shared with others.
Coordinated communication
An important part of the work of the team is to ensure sound internal and external communication. In a crisis linked to information influence, it is crucial that all channels work together and that everyone receives correct and up-to-date information. This means the team not only managing the media and general public, but also ensuring that all parts of the organisation obtain the right information. It is important for an organisation that is subjected to malign information influence to demonstrate what is true.
Actor-wide collaboration
A malign information influence incident often affects several parts of society. Performing local and regional situational reporting in line with the Swedish contingency system enables an understanding of the scope of the incident and its impact on society. Municipalities are responsible for compiling local situation reports on how the incident affects all parts of the municipality, and the County Administrative Boards have the same responsibility within their county.
Recovery and evaluation
After an incident, the team works to evaluate what has been done to manage the situation. The aim is to understand what went well and what could be improved next time. The team collects and processes information to obtain a clear picture of the situation and ensure that all actions are taken to restore order. At this stage, it is also important to inform the general public and relevant groups about what has been done to restore normal activities.
The next step
Legal framework for response