Twitter and Facebook useful diplomatic tools in 21st century
The Obama Administration, which is making maximum use of social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter in governance, feels these are "effective tools" that can enhance diplomacy.
|Last Updated: May 26, 2010, 10:28 AM IST|Source: Bureau
Washington: The Obama Administration, which is making maximum use of social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter in governance, feels these are "effective tools" that can enhance diplomacy.
Top officials of the Obama Administration are seen twitting round the clock and various wings of the US government have now dedicated team for sites like Twitter, Facebook and Flicker.
"We think that 21st century diplomacy involves a combination of capabilities - one, having the Secretary go around the world and talk face-to-face to leaders, but also have the ability to communicate with populations around the world through a variety of means, including social media," State Department spokesman P J Crowley said.
He said the US believed that the use of Facebook and Twitter in governance would be worth emulating by other countries.
Crowley, who tweets very frequently, says he has some 2,000 followers.
"We recognised from the outset that these are effective tools that enhance diplomacy. The Secretary (of State Hillary Clinton) has spoken about this. Under Secretary Judith McHale is leading this effort.
"We not only have the ability through social networking to communicate with governments, most importantly, we have the ability to communicate with people," he said.
"...that is a powerful tool, and around the world we`re using it to clarify the position of the United States, but we`re also using it to help solve challenges that - in the places that the Secretary has visited," Crowley noted.
"Absolutely, we are using these tools quite effectively. People are able to follow the Secretary and her travels at State.gov," he said.
Noting that half of the population in Indonesia is on Facebook, Crowley said that becomes an important tool in terms of the emergence of democratic societies and accountable governments so that people can use social media to communicate to a government.
"We are working in Mexico, for example, where people can use cell phones and texting to communicate to the government where they have concerns about corruption. So we obviously see that technology allows the opportunity to - it both empowers people, it hold - makes governments more accountable. We think this is an important dynamic for global society in the 21st century," Crowley said.
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.