DIA Psychological Operations Unit

The Domestic Intelligence Agency's Psychological Operations Unit analyses hostile influence directed at the Republic. It attributes foreign propaganda, advises public bodies on protective communication and supports separately authorised operations against hostile foreign networks. It does not conduct covert persuasion aimed at lawful domestic politics.

Domestic boundary

Within the Republic, the unit may analyse propaganda distribution, coordinated inauthentic activity and threats against public participation. It may brief departments, platforms, parties and news organisations on attributed hostile activity and may prepare overt factual corrections for publication by the responsible public body. It may not secretly promote or suppress a party, candidate, union, protest movement, religious body or lawful political argument.

Monitoring an identified Republic resident requires the same intelligence warrant and political-activity safeguards that apply elsewhere in the DIA. Aggregate public-sentiment research must use accredited, de-identified data. The unit cannot use the Resident Data Set to score individual political beliefs or susceptibility to persuasion.

Foreign operations

An operation against a foreign hostile network requires ministerial authorisation through the national security cabinet, FIA validation of the foreign target and GCA certification of any technical access. The authorisation states the audience, territory, purpose, prohibited targets, duration and measures against spillover into domestic political debate. COG conducts any deniable physical action; the unit supplies behavioural analysis and information effects.

Organisation and oversight

The Strategic Analysis Section contains behavioural scientists, cultural advisers and campaign analysts. The Digital Attribution Section examines distribution networks, synthetic media and coordinated accounts. The Protective Communications Section prepares overt advice and corrections. A Research and Evaluation Section tests whether methods work without relying on individual political profiling.

The Legal and Ethical Compliance Section reviews every proposed operation and reports to the DIA inspector. The Intelligence Inspector-General audits authorisations, audience controls, data use and after-action assessments. Training covers constitutional political rights, treaty and language communities, foreign-influence law and the distinction between public information and covert manipulation.