Data analysis Data for the problem analysis was analyzed and is presented firstly through a collection of case studies. These include:     Information operations — Russia’s targeting of the White Helmets in Syria Political manipulation — Elections in the Philippines Digital hate speech — Intercommunal violence in Myanmar Online radicalization and recruitment — the ISIS media jihad The case studies, along with additional literature and expert sources, provided data to develop a conflict analysis of social media weaponization (See page XX). This analysis used a common practitioner framework of conflict root causes and drivers to articulate the role and interaction between weaponized social media and societal conflict pre-dispositions, according to various conflict typologies. The aforementioned strategic workshop provided a means of validating findings and assessing the practical implications of social media weaponization for organizations involved in or accountable to development, peacebuilding, and humanitarian processes. Several methods for determining relevance and calibrating effective response were designed in this workshop, and are presented in this assessment as potential tools for organizations mobilizing in response to these phenomena. Chief among these tools is a response framework, which characterizes typical intervention types and potential entry points for these interventions. This framework was produced by mapping how government, the technology industry, UN/NGOs, civil society and academia are responding to phenomena related to the weaponization of social media. Across different domains (for example, security vs media communications vs sociology) over 100 examples of responses (strategies, policies, programs, tools, etc.) were identified that are addressing weaponization phenomena. These were mapped against a commonly experienced sequence of phases (and entry points) in which weaponization of social media threats unfold and can be responded to, according to the expertise of those interviewed for this assessment. MERCY CORPS The Weaponization of Social Media: How social media can spark violence and what can be done about it 41