Social Media as a Threat t‌‍o National Security⁠‍: Assessing Human Security⁠, Stat​e Regulations⁠‌ and Global Trends

Abstract

The role of social media in modern society is very important in defining the nature of politics, security and relationships within and among nations. Although social media encourages communications and innovations, yet such platforms create serious challenges to the national security and human security (Buzan, 1991; Buzan and Hansen, 2009). Acting negatively on these matters includes disinformation, recruitment, influence operations enabled by cyber capabilities, sensitive information reveal and manipulating people's mind initiated and spread through social media. In an attempt to address these new security challenges, countries have undertaken different strategies and policies such as banning the use of social media platforms, access restrictions based on the ages of people and also the social media reviews in the immigration or visa evaluation systems (Australian Government Department of Infrastructure et al., 2024; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2019; UNDP, 1994). The article critically evaluates the role of social media as a non-traditional threat to national security given the perspective of human security. The assessment consists of a critical evaluation of social media bans in Pakistan, their role in addressing national security and political stability in Pakistan, social media access restriction for children under 16 in Australia and Spain, social security of society in Australia and social media screening in work visa requirements in the USA under H1B visa requirements in America.