To keep up with the increasing speed of communication and information sharing among people throughout the world, the U.S. Department of State has taken to social media as a tool for public diplomacy. The State Department commands a global media empire stretching across hundreds of sites that deliver content about U.S. policy to the citizens of nearly every country in the world and also serve as platforms whereby State officials may gain insight into people’s opinions. However, even with hundreds of sites across dozens of platforms worldwide, the State Department still faces challenges such as censorship and low levels of access in some countries. The open nature of social media also creates new risks when a tweet can spawn a political firestorm, and anyone with an internet connection can share their opinion, no matter how offensive. The State Department is constantly working at solving these problems because being left out of the conversation is not an option.
mthiede