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    08 Mar 2025

 1.  
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Clifford Beal

Bring back shortwave!

  * 15 February 2025, 12:00am

[GettyImages-3288738]
Credit: Getty Images

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    Clifford Beal

    Bring back shortwave!

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Aeschylus is credited first for the time-worn aphorism that in war,
truth is the first casualty. But in the next major conflict, truth
could find itself joined by virtually all information. 

As a society at war, we face becoming blind, deaf and dumb once the
balloon goes up. Britain and most western countries have put all
their eggs in one large basket: that of digital communications. In a
time of global conflict, this could be a risky and painful prospect.

The rise of digital communications has been a boon but has also
opened society to grave risks through cyber war. Ukraine found this
out in the first years of its war with Russia. Just as worrying has
been the penetration of television, the internet and streaming radio
by hacker groups, both military and criminal. Attempts to change the
narrative of society and sow discord through fake news and false
information, denial-of-service attacks and interference with GPS
signals have all been a serious challenge in the ongoing war.

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Written by

Clifford Beal

Clifford Beal is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at Exeter
University and the former editor-in-chief of Jane's Defence Weekly

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    Bring back shortwave!

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