With the advent of information technology, screens have become the newest battlefield—a battlefield for conquering minds. Dissemination of information has become the new enemy, and public opinion has emerged as the biggest limit on national power. Social media talks are drastically influencing global policies. Consequently, countries are heavily investing in developing narratives and setting suitable discourses. With the emergence of different tools to spread information digitally, policymakers are also engulfed in a strange and complex issue of navigating between various shades of reality. The complexity itself is the manifestation of shifting tools of war from swords to digital screens.

The cyber influence theory, developed by Prof. Dr. Baqir Malik, a Harvard graduate and professor at Quaid-e-Azam University, aptly describes this shifting trend in warfare and the influence exerted by digital means. It engages with the emerging discussion of the power of information. The theory is defined as the capability or capacity of an actor to shape or influence the behavior, action, or decision of an individual or government through digital means. Rapid globalization and the ease of flow of information have accelerated the trend of using screens to generate narrative and win minds.

Traditionally, power was affiliated with the military strength and economic leverage of a state. To become powerful, substantial increments in such fields were considered most essential. However, global opinion is the new power indicator and is........

© Paradigm Shift