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In the early days of digital diplomacy research, scholars were enamored by “engagement metrics”. Given that digital diplomacy was closely associated with public diplomacy, and seeing as how public diplomacy mandated that diplomats “engage” with foreign populations, counting likes, Re-Tweets and comments seemed fruitful. By measuring “engagement metrics” one could finally measure the outcome of... Continue Reading →
Historian Eric Hobsbawm dedicated much of his academic work to exploring the impact of the past on present-day societies. For Hobsbawm, the past was always present. Yet the function that the past plays in the present could differ greatly. During times of upheaval, the past can serve as a roadmap or template for overcoming adversity.... Continue Reading →
Every few years, a new word seems to dominate societal discourses. In recent years the dominant word was “narrative”. New pundits depicted politics as a clash of narratives, diplomacy was understood as the practice of constructing appealing narratives, fake news and conspiracy theories were viewed as disruptive narratives that undermine trust in national institutions while... Continue Reading →
Last week, the Financial Times published an AI generated image of Presidents Putin and Trump kissing. The headline read “Fakes in the Post-Truth Era”. The term post-truth was first coined in 2016 by The Economist Magazine. The Economist was referring to the impact of social media on politics in general, and American politics in particular.... Continue Reading →
Diplomats and MFAs often seek to break their “algorithmic confines''. This is because social media algorithms limit the reach of diplomats’ online content. Tweets published by an Embassy, for example, will only reach the Embassy’s followers or social media followers who have expressed some interest in diplomacy, international relations or bi lateral ties between countries.... Continue Reading →
In 1982, Time Magazine’s cover depicted a man sitting opposite a computer screen. The headline read “The Computer Moves In”. Time’s cover captured a pivotal civilizational moment, as the introduction of the personal computer would lead to the creation of a new society- a digital society complete with its own logics, norms, values and laws... Continue Reading →
In his last recorded interview from 1986, astronomer Carl Sagan stated “We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology in which nobody understands anything about science and technology. And this combustive mixture of ignorance and power, sooner or later, is going to blow up in our faces”. The ignorance, and power, which Sagan was... Continue Reading →
Each week, I publish a list of interesting articles, essays and reports that may be of interest to the digital diplomacy community. This week – Chinese tech giants share details of their prized algorithms with top regulator in unprecedented move (CNBC)Snapchat Introduces Its First Parental Controls (The New York Times)Facebook considering ending restrictions on Covid... Continue Reading →
Each week, I publish a list of interesting articles, essays and reports that may be of interest to the digital diplomacy community. This week – Perils of Preaching Nationalism Play Out on Chinese Social Media (The New York Times) UK Parliament closes TikTok account after China data warning (BBC News)Corruption is sending shock waves through... Continue Reading →
Each week, I publish a list of interesting articles, essays and reports that may be of interest to the digital diplomacy community. This week – China: MI5 and FBI heads warn of ‘immense’ threat (BBC News)North Korean hackers are targeting American healthcare organizations (TechCrunch)How Ukraine Is Winning the Propaganda War (Wired)Japanese court ruling poised to... Continue Reading →
Exploring Digital Diplomacy 