A marketing method that the Dutch armed forces has been using for five years to investigate and influence the behavior of civilians in conflict areas is internally provoking resistance. Dutch soldiers use this method to collect data about the local population and sometimes interview them for hours about their dreams and fears. This information gives them more insight into their motives, which they can use to influence their behavior.
Citizens have been influenced by this method in Mali, Lithuania, Iraq and Curaçao. Defense sees influencing civilian behavior as a weapon as well as bombing the enemy.
Defense bought the Behavioural Dynamics Methodology from the British SCL Group, parent company of data and marketing firm Cambridge Analytica. Both were discredited in 2018 for questionable political campaigns and ceased to exist.
A Dutch member of the management of SCL has been advising Defense since 2016 on influencing behavior, recruitment campaigns and smarter data processing. Landlord boss Martin Wijnen says he has stopped all cooperation with her for the time being. The Dutch, Gaby van den Berg, denies having been involved in controversial campaigns: “I have never had anything to do with such practices.”
Defense has now trained 139 military personnel in the method and applied it in several countries. However, the Defense has never informed the House of Representatives about it. “I am surprised that this method is used,” said MP Salima Belhaj, defense spokesman for government party D66. She believes that the House should conduct a ‘good substantive ethical debate’ about the ‘use of such a military instrument.’
Defense has no separate legal or ethical frameworks for influencing civilians. Professor Liesbeth Zegveld, specialized in war law: “The idea of war law is that civilians are innocent and should remain so. By influencing their behavior, so that they help you, you make them a party. ”
Wijnen acknowledges that there must be rules for influencing behavior. Defense lawyers were due to meet for the first time this spring to discuss this, but this was canceled due to corona. Within Defense there is enthusiasm about the method, but also resistance.
Soft, but dangerous pages 26-29
A version of this article also appeared in NRC Handelsblad on June 27, 2020
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A version of this article also appeared in nrc.next dated June 27, 2020
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