The United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) tested an innovative Table-Top-Exercise (TTX) — “Krypton vs Iron” — to simulate how to effectively respond to real-time CBRN disinformation campaigns.
The exercise was organized during the 5th Annual Meeting of the Network of ASEAN Chemical, Biological and Radiological Defence Experts in Singapore on 14 and 15 December 2023, organised by DSO National Laboratories in partnership with the European Union Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence Initiative (EU CBRN CoE) and UNICRI.
Participants from ASEAN countries were divided into two teams named Krypton and Iron. The Krypton Team represented an extremist organisation with a large online base whose purpose was to create disinformation and jeopardise the credibility of governments or international organisations. The Iron Team represented a government or international organisation whose purpose was to prevent and respond to disinformation created by the Krypton Team.
The event consisted of two different scenarios that simulated a CBRN event. The first scenario was played in the morning, while the second scenario took place in the afternoon on 15 December. Participants switched teams after the first scenario, enabling them to learn first-hand how disinformation is spread and how it can be combated.
The Krypton Team developed and disseminated an online disinformation campaign aimed at exhausting the Iron Team’s resources and delaying their response. The Iron Team’s role was to promptly and effectively debunk the disinformation spread by the Krypton Team and prevent it from going viral.
Using a social media app, the TTX “Krypton vs Iron” mimicked a real-life environment in which a government or an international organisation would need to analyse disinformation messages quickly, decide whether to respond and, eventually, debunk any false claims before they have a negative impact.
For more information about “Krypton vs Iron” TTX, please contact Mariana Diaz Garcia at UNICRI (mariana.diazgarcia@un.org).
Background
Since 2020, UNICRI has been monitoring the malicious use of social media and analysing existing technology options to detect and debunk false information to understand the advantages and possible challenges of each option in the short and long term. In 2022, the Institute published its findings as part of the Handbook to debunk CBRN disinformation, a practical guide designed for individuals or agencies working in CBRN risk mitigation at different levels and is now providing partner countries with related capacity-building activities.
To learn more about UNICRI's work in addressing CBRN disinformation, please click here.
