Twitter for DiplomatsSocial Media and Diplomacy

By Andreas Sandre – Twitter @andreas212nyc

Advanced Webinar in E-diplomacy

TWITTER AND THE WORLD OF SOCIAL MEDIA

www.tweetping.net

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il

80

0 m

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34

3 m

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28

8 m

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20

0 m

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77

mil

75

mil

40

mil

Social Media use is growing: active monthly users, as of January 2013:

Source: Global Web Index

Twitter was the world’s fastest-growing social platform in 2012,

adding an incredible 40 percent more active users

between Q2 and Q4 of last year.

Q4 2012

485 mil

288 mil

Q3 2012

408 mil

206 mil

Source: Global Web Index

Source: Global Web Index

Source: Global Web Index

Content Sharers

Messengers

Followers

& Consumers

Joiners

PC

88%

Mobile

57%

Tablet

26%

TWITTER FOR DIPLOMACY

Major shifts in diplomacy reflect all major shifts in ICT

Twitter and Social Media have changed the

approach: from top-down to bottom-up; from

hierarchies to networks and citizens

Twitter has given foreign policy and diplomacy

practitioners a simpler way to engage with publics

MAIN SHIFTS

The spread of information networks is forming

a new nervous system for our planet.

When something happens in Haiti or Hunan,

the rest of us learn about it in real time – from real people.

And we can respond in real time as well.

Hillary Clinton

January 2010

a world in which states come apart […] and have the

ability to network or partner or make an alliance with

social actors. […] It is a horizontal world. There are no

ladders because there are no hierarchies. It is a web.

Power still exists in a web, but it is exercised from the

center, not the top.”

Anne Marie Slaughter

March 2012

ediplomacy.afp.com

Source: BursonMasteller

Department of State: 23 Oct 2007

Susan Rice: 28 January 2009

The White House: 10 April 2009

Alec Ross: 14 Oct 2009

475,000

268,000

3.7 mil

378,500

300

400

185

The secretary [John Kerry] is really

committed to using these tools to

help us advance our diplomatic

goals… It’s going to continue to

make our diplomats more effective

in today’s world

Victoria Esser

March 2013

TRAINING

& THE POWER OF IDEAS

WHY AMBASSADORS LOVE TO TWEET?

BOLD

ORGANIC

ENGAGING

The policy should not be ‘thou shall

tweet’. If you’re not comfortable

with it, don’t use it.

Alec Ross

March 2013

THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

PLAN BROADCAST

LISTEN

INTERACT

INSPIRE

INNOVATE

HAVE

FUN

RISKS AND BENEFITS

Getting it wrong could start a war: imagine if a

diplomat misguidedly tweeted a link to that

offensive anti-Islam film. Getting it right has the

potential to rewrite the diplomatic rulebook.

Tom Fletcher

October 2012

ITALIAN FOR COMMON SENSE

DO BENEFITS OUTWEIGHT RISKS?

IS VISIBILITY A BENEFIT?

IS VISIBILITY A RISK?

WHO TO PUT IN CHARGE?

DO WE NEED A SYSTEM OF CHECK AND BALANCES?

IS TWITTER MOLDING INTO MORE THAN A

MICRO BLOGGING SITE?

ARE WE READY FOR TWITTER?

BEYOND TWITTER: CRISIS COMMUNICATION

On Twitter: @andreas212nyc

Advanced Webinar in E-diplomacy