ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the appeal of fear as a means of raising awareness and motivating audiences to act and, in particular, the rhetorical tactics used to promote fear of cyber-doom in the United States. It argues that one reason for cyber-doom rhetoric’s persistence can be found in the appeal of fear appeals and the tactics used to express our fears of cyber-doom. The expectation of cyber-doom is so powerful that some, like the expert mentioned earlier, refuse to believe that certain incidents are not cyberattacks. In a society increasingly dominated by fear of all kinds, and with a long tradition of viewing fear as a powerful tool of persuasion, it is perhaps unsurprising that cybersecurity advocates would reach for cyber-doom when making their case. Behind the use of hypothetical scenarios, metaphors, and analogies, conflation and strategic use of ambiguity are tactics for selling fear of cyber-doom.
