Digital Diplomacy

Several days ago I reached an important decision- I began following the Auschwitz Memorial on Twitter. That Auschwitz was recommended by the Twitter algorithm is not surprising as much of my digital activities date back to WW2. I often Google battles and skirmishes, view lists of WW2 facts or read Wikipedia pages of prominent Nazis. These all contribute to my investigation of MFAs’ use iconic images online, images that summon WW2 to the present. Other times these activities are related to surges in anti-Semitism while still other times it is human curiosity that drives me to the edge of humanity. Yet since I have followed Auschwitz online, my Twitter habits have altered dramatically. For every few scrolls I am presented with a black and white image of a poor soul who ended up at Auschwitz. These moments are so emotional that I pay little attention to other tweets and most often escape Twitter altogether. For how can I focus on a statement by the EU High Commission, or a video greeting..

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When researching digital diplomacy, one soon realizes that every foreign ministry (MFA) has undergone a unique process of digitalization. The digitalization of the US State Department rested, among other, on the appointment of two digital enthusiasts- Alec Ross and Jared Cohen. Canada’s digitalization was facilitated by a change in administration as the Trudeau government urge diplomat to join online conversations. The Crimean Crisis led the German MFA to restructure its strategic communications department. New Zealand’s MFA sought to adopt digital technologies following the example of other government ministries while Lithuania wished to communicate with Diasporas and reverse a possible ‘Brain Drain’. Even today the practice of digital technology is not uniform. Some nations conduct network analyses to assess their international image. Other ministries prioritize countering disinformation and preventing the circulation of conspiracy theories. The Israeli MFAs uses social media to in..

Some academics believe that digital diplomacy has developed in a linear fashion, and that each technological breakthrough (e.g., Facebook, AI) is accompanied by a process of implementation, adaptation and assimilation. Such scholars tend to focus on the attributes of any new technology while uncovering its potential use for diplomats. The fax machine, for instance, reduce the need for diplomatic pouches as diplomats could reach their peers within minutes. Similarly, email dramatically altered internal communications within MFAs. Proponents of a technological prism also regard digitalization as an evolutionary process. Friendster led to Facebook which led to Twitter. The iPod replaced the mp3 player while the DVD replaced the video. The ‘evolutionary process’ of digitalization is cognitive, affective and behavioral. Cognitively, technologies such as social media have altered our perception of life as distance loses meaning, and separation is never complete. One can still Facebook a fr..

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