WHO CONTROLS THE FUTURE ARCHITECTURE OF INFLUENCE?

Abstract

On November 19, 2025, Dr. Emma L. Briant presented, Who Controls the Future Architecture of Influence? at the 2025 West Coast Security Conference. The session was followed by a question-and-answer period with audience members and CASIS Vancouver executives. The presentation examined the rise of influence cartels, the structural capture of digital infrastructure, the national security implications of surveillance capitalism, and the need to restore democratic oversight over the systems that shape public discourse.