Technology, Innovation and Great Power Competition,TIGPC, Gordian knot Center, DIME-FIL, department of defense, dod, intlpol 340, joe felter, ms&e296, raj shah, stanford, Steve blank, AI, ML, AI/ML, china, unmanned, autonomy, Army venture capital

1. Original Problem Statement
How can the U.S. employ its cyber
capabilities to provide the populace of
China with unrestricted Internet access?
How can it use this access to bolster civil
society against CCP crackdowns, in order to
pressure the PRC, spread American liberal
values, and uphold U.S. freedom of action in
the information domain?
Total Interviews: 18
Laura Bocek
- BA Int’l Rel. ‘24
Fátima Ptacek
- BA Political Science ‘22
Jay Meier
- MSx ‘22
Pierce Lowary
- BS Comp. Sci. ‘22
Final Problem Statement
How does the USG leverage a soft-power
information campaign to support Hong
Kong residents’ right to self-determination
and democratic governance without placing
individuals at undue risk (of prosecution as
foreign agents under the National Security
Law)?

2. Week 2
Original Problem
Use cyber capabilities to
uncensor internet access
for Chinese citizens
Week 3
Week 5
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
China
Offensive Cyber
Professor on China
Support democratic
values in Hong Kong
through activists
Hong Kong
Activists
Big Tech causes lots
of problems for
activists
Activist Interviews
Big Tech and
International Policy
Google Policy Lead
The US does not set
norms for freedom of
speech
Public Diplomacy
Department of State
Department of
State Employees
Solution Validation
Project Trajectory

3. Week 2
Week 3
China
Offensive Cyber
Original Problem
Use cyber capabilities to
uncensor internet access
for Chinese citizens
Week 5 Week 8
Week 7 Week 9
Initial Interviews

4. Interview: Cyber Professor
@ CISAC
● Investigate
offensive cyber
operations & info
ops
● Great Firewall of
China
Idea: Offensive Cyber
Operations + info ops
● Degrade
censorship
● Disrupt
enforcement
Crack the Great Firewall

5. Interview: Chinese
Censorship Professor
● Too aggressive,
provocative
● Support HKers
seeking free info
Idea: HK Activists =
Consumers
● HKers value free info
● Primary
stakeholders
● PRC: less demand
Initial Hypothesis Challenged
Activists as stakeholders?

6. Week 2
Week 3
Week 5
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Solution Validation
Hong Kong
Activists
China
Offensive Cyber
Professor on China
Support democratic
values in Hong Kong
through activists
Original Problem
Use cyber capabilities to
uncensor internet access
for Chinese citizens
Pivot to Activists

7. Both are
reliant on
Big Tech
to maintain
information
flows
Internal
Activists in
HK
● More concerned
with safety
● Worried about Hong
Kong becoming a
black hole
Activists in
Exile
● Less concerned with
safety
● See exiled activists
as security threat
Activists Not Monolithic

8. Week 2
Week 3
Week 5
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
China
Offensive Cyber
Professor on China
Support democratic
values in Hong Kong
through activists
Hong Kong
Activists
Big Tech causes lots
of problems for
activists
Activist Interviews
Big Tech
International Policy
Original Problem
Use cyber capabilities to
uncensor internet access
for Chinese citizens
Leveraging Tech Policy

9. “Google has to respond to legal requests in jurisdictions that it
works in… we either comply with the law or we don’t.”
● Easier to push back with extrajudicial requests
● Limited options for recourse
● Western democracies NOT on the same page on freedom of
speech and censorship.
Overwhelming international consensus required… not realistic.
Tech Policy - Dead End

10. Week 2
Week 3
Week 5
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
China
Offensive Cyber
Professor on China
Support democratic
values in Hong Kong
through activists
Hong Kong
Activists
Big Tech causes lots
of problems for
activists
Activist Interviews
Big Tech and
International Policy
Google Policy Lead
The US does not set
norms for freedom of
speech
Public Diplomacy
Department of State
Original Problem
Use cyber capabilities to
uncensor internet access
for Chinese citizens
Pivot to Public Diplomacy

11. CCP leverages
“foreign
interference” to
pass additional
restrictions.
CCP increases
restrictions on HK
civil society.
Hong Kong citizens protest /
USG offers overt support to
HK activism.
Existing
CCP
Censorship
Cycle
Don’t Grant CCP More Leverage

12. Any solution MUST:
- - Minimize perception of “foreign meddling”
- - Avoid US vs China narrative
- - Build awareness of the “democratic option”
Play the Long Game - Soft Power
“All of these can be accomplished through existing DoS
programs… when properly resourced and implemented.”
- USEMB Beijing Public Affairs Official

13. Week 2
Original Hypothesis
Cyber operation to disrupt
the Great Firewall
Week 3
Week 5
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
China
Offensive Cyber
Professor on China
Support democratic
values in Hong Kong
through activists
Hong Kong
Activists
Big Tech causes lots
of problems for
activists
Activist Interviews
Big Tech and
International Policy
Google Policy Lead
The US does not set
norms for freedom of
speech
Public Diplomacy
Department of State
Department of
State Employees
Solution Validation
Solution Affirmation

14. US Soft Power
Campaign -
Democracy
Pros:
• Light impact over a
long period of time
• Less likely to see
CCP pushback
Cons:
• Requires time and
space
Direct Support to
Activists
Pros:
• Increased resilience
Cons:
• Could make them
easier to target
• Strengthens CCP’s
assertions of US
meddling
Leverage Big Tech /
Tech Policy
Pros:
• Bolster free speech
Cons:
• Limited leverage /
could play into
CCP’s hands
• Western
democracies divided
Offensive Cyber
Operation
Pros:
• Powerful in event
of military action
Cons:
• Overt, attributable
• Implications for
activists
• Anti - China
Solution Silos

15. Implementation Concept
Increase Resourcing for
Public Diplomacy
Increase DP PD (0113.7) funding for
messaging activities
Push additional funding to Embassy
level
Create new appropriations as required
1
Delegate Messaging to the
Country Teams
Broad Themes from DOS HQ
Local Knowledge Drives Messaging
Resourcing for Market Research
2
Bring in Outside Expertise
Authority / Funding to hire SMEs
Public Affairs / Journalism
Support FSOs with Experts
3

16. QUESTIONS / DISCUSSION

17. International Platform for Freedom
Ultimate Goal
- Horizontal connection
between democratic
activists
- multinational platform
- add value, not compete
with, traditional forms of
aid
Providers of Aid
- Foundations
- NGOs
- Professors
- Private Individuals
Seekers of
Democracy Assistance
- Ideas
- Money
- Training
- Infrastructure
Marketplace
for
Democracy