Intelligence Services in the Post-Truth Era: New Institutions of Truth? The Czech Case
Intelligence Services in the Post-Truth Era: New Institutions of Truth? The Czech Case

Summary/Abstract: The article examines how Czech intelligence services—the Security Information Service (BIS) and Military Intelligence (VZ)—adapt their public communication to challenges of the post-truth era marked by declining trust, disinformation, and social polarisation. Through an exploratory analysis of media outputs and public reactions from 2017–2025, the study assesses whether greater transparency and strategic communication can strengthen democratic resilience and enhance the legitimacy of intelligence institutions. The findings show that BIS and VZ are perceived on social media mainly in pragmatic or neutral terms, with positive legitimacy responses exceeding critical ones. Conceptually, the article links critical intelligence studies, the democratisation of intelligence, and militant democracy to evaluate how public engagement can support societal trust. The study argues that intelligence services can foster institutional credibility and societal resilience when they communicate apolitically, transparently, and in accessible ways.

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