Social Engineering as it relates to manipulating the popular views held by people on a grand scale (not as to hacking/security).
What are your views of the use of social engineering in U.S. foreign policy (past or present)?
You can find some articles on the internet regarding social engineering and the "Arab Spring" but there is even less material published in the U.S. mainstream media. Although a supply of facts with documented sources seem to be in short supply regarding recent events, there does exist evidence (in particular, several different Wikileaks cables) that reveal this is not fiction.
The U.S. government never publicly acknowledges it currently meddles with the affairs of another country. If it was involved in inciting revolutions in foreign nations in the past the government rarely ever acknowledges it publicly themselves, and when they do the media don't consider it a hot topic of discussion.
When U.S. officials are asked directly about the use of social engineering in manipulating the views of people in a foreign country (Iran, Egypt, Libya, Syria, etc) they simply have have no comment.
Recently, General Dempsey (chairman of U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff) was nonplussed when suddenly asked about social engineering (appearing on CSPAN3). The reaction (to the question itself) from the event's moderator and the other people in room made me interested in what you all thought on this topic.
