#114 Rubens Portugal on Brazilian Information Operations
Release Date: 09/20/2022
The Cognitive Crucible
The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Dr. Tom Ferris discusses his fascinating research related to cognitive ergonomics. Research Questions: Tom thinks the following questions need additional study: Human sensing and cognitive insights obtrusive physiology; making inferences during human studies; finding ways of...
info_outlineThe Cognitive Crucible
The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. Austin Branch and Andy Whiskeyman, both professors of the practice at the Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS), discuss the recent Phoenix Challenge Conference which was held in London from Feb 27th to Mar 3rd 2023. The Conference was meant to bring together: Academia,...
info_outlineThe Cognitive Crucible
The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Dr. Matthew Canham discusses the importance of cognitive security, and his neurosecurity framework. Research Question: Are there a finite and discoverable set of Principles of Influence for AI analogous to the Principles of Influence in humans? (Reference: Dr. Robert Cialdini’s...
info_outlineThe Cognitive Crucible
The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Vic Garcia and Mike Berger of give a deep dive into IO-related challenges facing the United States and allied nations, plus dynamics between the intelligence and the operations communities, and the importance and current state of IO assessments. Research Question: Vic Garcia...
info_outlineThe Cognitive Crucible
The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Dr Vicki Nash discusses the Oxford Internet Institute, Internet governance, and regulation related to children. Research Question: What are the benefits of technology use in children or young people; for example: benefits related to forming one’s own identity, one’s own sense...
info_outlineThe Cognitive Crucible
The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Dave Maxwell discusses the importance of human rights upfront, influence campaigns, the pursuit of a free and unified Korea, resting on a foundation of deterrence and defense in the context of countering North Korea. Research Questions: Dave suggests technologies be developed...
info_outlineThe Cognitive Crucible
The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, US Air Force LtCol Dan “Plato” Morabito discusses his . Plato takes what may be considered a first principles approach by defining objectively information, knowledge, and problems with knowing. Then, he assembles a novel taxonomy of information warfare which combines trust,...
info_outlineThe Cognitive Crucible
The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, US Army MAJ Joe Littell discusses his recent article: –including emergent technologies, disinformation, and implications for democracy. Joe also presents some of the things we can do to protect ourselves. Research Question: How did China use social media to control the COVID...
info_outlineThe Cognitive Crucible
The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Brian Russell returns to the Cognitive Crucible to discuss what he calls: “OIE Truths.” Based on his extensive information operations experience, these truths represent the best advice he can give to commanders and service members on how to embrace and exploit emerging OIE...
info_outlineThe Cognitive Crucible
The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, US Army LTC Brian Burbank discusses the Ghost Team’s immersive information operations training capability at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California. The Ghost Team challenges brigade-sized units with multi-domain dynamics so that we can win the first battle of the...
info_outlineThe Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association.
During this episode, Brazilian Army Capt Rubens Portugal discusses governmental structure and various information operations policies including operational integration and talent management.
Research Question: How dangerous to a country like Brazil or any country for that matter is it to build an information warfare and political warfare capability? For some countries, this is very dangerous. What kind of informational structure is most ideal for countries where the state (permanent, non-political) and government (temporary politics) are not separate in practice?
Resources:
- Anatomia da Propaganda podcast
- Academia Militar das Agulhas Negras
- The War in Informational Era
- Demons: A Novel in Three Parts by Fyodor Dostoevsky
- Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael Lewis
- Psychological Warfare By Paul Linebarger
Link to full show notes and resources
https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-114
Guest Bio:
After receiving a Bachelors of Military Science, in the Military Academy (Academia Militar das Agulhas Negras), Captain Rubens Portugal was commissioned an Aspirant Officer in November 2013. Upon completion of initial training, he reported to 6th Signal Battalion, 6th Army Division. His assignments included Radio Platoon Commander and Command Center Officer.
As a signal officer, in 2014, he worked in the Brazilian World Cup Regional Security Operation, as a Command and Control officer
In 2016, as a lieutenant, he graduated in the Brazilian Army Psychological Operations Course and reported to the Brazilian Battalion (MINUSTAH, UN Peacekeeping Mission) for training and deployment.
In 2017, he was a PsyOp Officer in the PsyOp Detachment, Brazilian Battalion, in UN Peacekeeping Mission in Haiti - Mission des Nations Unies pour la Stabilization en Haïti (MINUSTAH).
After MINUSTAH, in 2018, Captain Rubens Portugal worked in the PsyOp Company, 1st PsyOps Battalion, on missions all over the Brazilian territory, specially in border operations and Rio de Janeiro Federal Intervention.
In 2019 he was selected to be instructor in the PsyOp course, and remained there for 3 years.
In 2022, he current function is Operation Center Officer, in the 1st PsyOp Battalion, Special Operations Command.
About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain.
For more information, please contact us at [email protected].
Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.