The Cyber Cowgirl™ Blog
Welcome to The Cyber Cowgirl™ Blog - Hannah’s archived collection of early morning thoughts related to cyber, defense, entrepreneurship, and professional development.
Join Hannah on this journey of discovery and discussion as we navigate the Digital Wild West together!
The Great Disconnect: Rebuilding Community in a Digital Age
or years, social media felt like a lifeline—helping me stay connected during military moves, build a business from scratch, and maintain friendships across time zones. But somewhere along the way, that connection turned hollow. The same platforms that once fostered community have become digital battlegrounds of misinformation, outrage, and isolation. After years researching the weaponization of social media, I’ve come to see this technology not as a bridge but as a barrier—an experiment that exposed what we truly crave: real human connection. As the digital Tower of Babel crumbles, we’re left with an opportunity—and a responsibility—to rebuild community offline, grounded in authenticity, empathy, and shared purpose.
Digital Natives: A New Generation of Warfighters
Meet Generation Z - the digital native warfighters! Born between 1997 and 2012, Gen Z service members bring fresh perspectives shaped by events like COVID-19, rising cyber threats, and evolving global conflicts. As true digital natives, they present both challenges and opportunities for military leaders adapting to social media’s influence on communication, recruitment, and readiness.
How Social Media Intelligence (SOCMINT) Collection Impacts the Public
Social Media Intelligence (SOCMINT) has become a powerful tool for governments, businesses, and organizations to gather insights from the endless stream of online data. While this practice can support public safety, crisis response, and even healthcare research, it also raises pressing concerns about privacy, trust, and surveillance. Studies show that awareness of monitoring often alters behavior—leading to self-censorship, anxiety, and reduced trust in institutions. Recent controversies, from Instagram’s real-time location tracking feature to proposed U.S. military monitoring of cadets, highlight the tension between security objectives and individual freedoms. Ultimately, SOCMINT’s impact extends far beyond data collection—it shapes how people perceive safety, community, and the organizations that hold power in their lives.
Finding Connection in the Dead Zone
In today’s digitally-driven world, stepping into the “Dead Zone” provided something increasingly difficult to attain - a chance at a real connection. Technology has done a lot of good and a lot of bad for humankind. Navigating the uncharted wilderness of cyberspace requires us to revitalize our ability to connect, engage, and impact the physical world. Check out my field notes from a recent trek in the wilderness.
Dividing a United Nation Through Weaponized Information
My Grandmama’s kitchen table was big - she kept three leaves in it year-round so it could seat over 20 people at a moment's notice. “Feeding folks” as she called it, was one of her deepest sources of joy. She was the human embodiment of the Crowded Table song by The Highwomen. From the time I stumbled out of my bedroom at 5 AM, to when I finally turned in for the night at 11 PM, there seemed to always be someone sitting and visiting at that mahogany masterpiece. She cooked “big” - always three to four times what was necessary for a meal - so there was always cold fried chicken, a cast iron skillet of biscuits, and an extra chocolate meringue pie or two ready to distribute to the neighbors, relatives, and random new friend she’d made when they plopped down at the table.