National Security and its Linkage with Social Media: Lessons for Pakistan

This paper explores the literature on conceptual aspects of national security, its relationship with social media, and the impacts of the latter on the national security of Pakistan. This paper answers a few questions, i.e., what is national security, how does social media overlap with it, and what are the implications of social media for the national security of Pakistan? The methodology applied in this research is qualitative and relies on secondary sources; therefore, literature has been explored to find the answers. The analysis of this research is inspired by the thematic analysis technique through which it has been ascertained that national security is a subjective phenomenon and is mainly defined by national values. The relationship between national security and social media is significant, as the latter extensively relies upon as an avenue by anarchists, extremists, terrorists, and external forces to spread disinformation and achieve their respective objectives. As far as Pakistan is concerned, the interrelationship between national security and social media has not been looked into in detail. Accordingly, this research concludes that there are gaps in the literature produced in Pakistan on social media vis-à-vis its connection with national security. Consequently, the existing literature lacks an explanation of the political, strategic, and social motives of the actors employing social media for their respective vested purposes, especially for propaganda.