Manoylo A.V. "To kill the kitten", or social network conflict mobilization technologies at work.

Abstract: This article is focused on the study of modern conflict technologies aimed at mobilizing young people in social networks. Today, social networks are a represent a peculiar environment in which "color revolution" political technologists actively form and consolidate protest electorate, using the potential of virtual communities and the tools for building and altering virtual reality. "Colour revolution" specialists employ conflict mobilization technologies that affect younger people, injecting them with the idea of fighting against authorities, and directing their natural hyperactivity towards mass protest. The methodological basis of this research consists of the systemic, structural and functional, comparative political approaches, methods of analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, observation. This article describes and analyzes a typical application of these technologies that allows for undetected replacement of a neutral, non-political agendas of a social group with an aggressive one, antagonistic towards authority in power. It is shown that the main targets of political strategists of colored revolutions are not a groups of political opposition-aligned individuals, but rather a politically neutral electorate, undecided on their outlook. The author demonstrates the magnitude of the threat that such technologies present, and points out the need for systemic countermeasures against the colour revolution activist recruitment in social networks.

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