ABSTRACT
This chapter analyses the main characteristics of the new hypermedia environment in order to distil out those factors most likely to explain the transformation of the concept of security. It aims to clarify the alleged paradigm shift in favour of influence strategies by explaining how the very perception of this new environment effectively leads international actors to redefine their conception of security, and rely increasingly on the strategic use of influence strategies to achieve broadened security goals. The chapter provides an analysis of specific influence strategies such as public diplomacy and information operations. It shows that international actors are currently beginning to adjust their security policies to this new global environment—a trend that ultimately holds the potential to bring fundamental changes to the international security landscape. The brisk development of new communication and information technologies has provoked a revolution of comparable magnitude to those spurred by the advents of speech, writing and printing.
