UK

The UK Ministry of Defence’s Adoption of the Government-Wide System for Project Approvals

Trevor Taylor

In the first in a series of articles, we explore the UK’s current attempt to operate a government-wide direction in its approval of major procurement projects.

"Advances in deepfake technology have led to the emergence of a new picture of how doctored material will be used in disinformation campaigns. While safeguards ensure that manipulated videos may not be such a problem at the highest levels of security and defence, lower levels ‐ such as local elections ‐ remain vulnerable to malign actors. At such levels, deepfakes can be distributed using social media channels to target unsuspecting victims. Current solutions only protect individuals who are prominent enough to be covered by the mainstream media, and not enough is being done by governments or social media companies to protect ordinary users from coordinated inauthentic activity online. However, with more images and videos of ourselves online than ever before, anyone can be a victim of a disinformation campaign. As deepfakes become easier to make, no one is safe ‐ hyper-localized manipulation will create problems for democratic institutions that have not yet been fully understood. "

Microfake: How small-scale deepfakes can undermine society

Understanding the Whole of Military Health Systems: The Defence Healthcare Cycle

Martin Bricknell and Paul Cain

A clear understanding of modern military healthcare will lead to better policy.

The UK’s Integrated Review Has Restarted: Are Key Questions and Assumptions Still Valid?

Peter Roberts

The UK’s review of security, defence, development and foreign policy, halted by the health emergency, is now restarting. But not from where it stopped, for both outputs and inputs need to be reconsidered.

The United Nations Charter: 75 Years On

Peter Marshall

The UN Charter is no run-of-the-mill affair. It is a universal covenant, born of untold suffering and sorrow. As the only veteran of the Second World War still in active diplomatic circulation, Sir Peter Marshall reflects on the UN’s founding document, and its enduring relevance.

Speaking Truth to Power: The Problem with Prime Minister Johnson’s New National Security Adviser

Peter Ricketts

As a new national security adviser is appointed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the UK’s first NSA reflects on the duties and burdens of the job.