Recent lessons from Ukraine have shown the powerful impact that social media can have in modern warfare. With the widespread adoption of social networking sites, all warfighters must be aware of and appreciate the utility and pitfalls of this new medium of open source intelligence gathering and information exchange in modern conflicts.

Our modern 'Forever Wars' and the increased use of remotely piloted aircraft combine to create a unique psychological impact on operators. This article examines these effects and what needs to be done to protect the personnel involved.