If we want to communicate we must get social

Kevin Nellies

Why is social media important to policy makers?

Policy makers notice action

States to Individuals

• shift from states towards widely disparate number of non-state actors, especially individuals

• individuals can use Web platforms to exert influence, threaten states, and inflict violence

• David & Goliath: individuals with virtually no resources can act and exert influence on the same playing field as powerful states that control massive economic and military resources

London

Cairo

Hard Power to Cyber Power

• shift from “real-world” to “virtual” forms of mobilization, action, and aggression

• power diffused towards periphery, no longer monopoly of states

• mobilization and action spontaneous, self-organized on Web networks like Twitter and Facebook

• Facebook, YouTube and Twitter indispensible tools of electoral mobilization and civic organization

State-to-state:Russia vs Estonia

• April 2007, small Baltic nation of Estonia came under cyber attack targeting government, banks and media

• attacks followed relocation of Soviet war memorial• Estonian government blamed the Kremlin for the

sudden and unexpected cyber attack – i.e. Russian nationalism

• the Kremlin denied any direct involvement• incident prompted the NATO military alliance to step up

its readiness for cyber warfare

Dark Web: Terrorism

• 2008 -- “Dark Web” research project at the University of Arizona tracked Jihadist extremist groups using Web 2.0 media

• Jihadist blogs, including one posting news updates about so-called “occupied Islamic countries”

• Jihadist bloggers also active on YouTube, uploading videos featuring explosives, attacks, bombings, and hostage-taking

Old Media to New Media

• in past, old media (like CNN, BBC and Al Jazeera) have been main global forums of international diplomacy, communication and opinion shaping

• shift to new media like Google, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook as effective platforms

Old Media: “CNN Effect”

New Media: “YouTube Effect”

At the Local Level My Society Builds websites which benefit the civic and community aspects of people's lives in the UK

Social Media is Powerful

Big Business also forced to alter course too

What does this changed world mean for International Organisations?

They need to open up to you

YouTube Video Contest

The aim is to celebrate the enormous breadth of talent and diversity in the Commonwealth, as well as to help young people highlight issues of concern to them, such as poverty, human rights or climate change

Commonwealth Correspondents

Opening up Channels

What are the opinion makers saying ?

Policy makers connecting with the public

OECD #hash tagging meetings and questions to the panel through twitter

Taking it a step further

Could we open up portions of our sites for editorial input from the public ?

Let’s question our commitment to print in a world that is shifting to digital

And in the end

Come and connect with me me twitter @nellyagain

The love you take is equal to the love you make