Are we approaching a turning point in political violence? For security professionals, the challenge is not to get swept away in media-driven panic but to cut through the rhetoric and focus on the facts.
In episode 21 of the Cybersecurity & Geopolitical Discussion, our trio of hosts discuss how modern forces manifest, how much power is truly being wielded, and what effect it is likely to have on a year of elections.
The threats of violence and violence against political candidates, elected officials, election workers and voters is harmful to the democratic process and to election security.
Specific cases in Turkey, Chile, and the United States speak to a shift in riot and civil disorder risk, along with consequences for risk transfer decision-making. New sources of capital may be able to help communities prepare more effectively for post-event recovery.
The social and economic impacts of political violence don’t often match. Terror attacks can accomplish their main objective of striking fear into a local population while not significantly interfering with commerce, and broad waves of unrest have the potential for supply chain disruption, local business closures lasting for days, and repair and remediation that can become quite costly. There’s a third category that doesn’t get enough attention in policy and academic circles: insurance industry losses.
Security risks to a business during times of unrest include assets, people and reputation. It is important for businesses to minimize presenting their facilities as a soft target for opportunistic criminal activity. Having a proactive plan in place to deter criminal activity will aid in protecting employees and assets.
