The Rise of Social Media: A New Frontier of Diplomacy #6

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   Maximizing Social Media for Indonesian Diplomacy

With more foreign ministries, including Indonesia, lining up to embrace and integrate social media sites in their communication and public diplomacy, the question now is what measures Kemlu has to take in order to maximize the benefits derived from effective use of social media in enhancing economic and cultural diplomacy.

            Undoubtedly, there are several strengths that Kemlu has in relations to the use of social media in enhancing Indonesian diplomacy, which can be described as follows: 

1. Many Indonesian diplomats are very familiar with social media. ‘Digital divide’ in terms of level of familiarity with these interactive platforms might be present, but the majority of diplomats have their accounts in at least one of the popular networking sites. 
2. Dedicated directorates dealing with information and media, including multimedia, and public diplomacy have been established, along with the internal institutional reform within Kemlu. Further empowerment has to be conducted, nevertheless. 
3.  Well-established infrastructures in Kemlu enable diplomats and other staffs to enjoy good internet connections at the office, thus facilitating them in using social media for official use.  

However, some weaknesses have also been identified, which, among others, consist of: 

1. The absence of clear and formal policies regarding the use of social media in the conduct of diplomacy poses a certain level of uncertainty for those who want to utilize these outlets.  
2. Limited human resources who are in charge of Kemlu’s engagement in social media hamper its active participation and swift responses, particularly with numerous accounts, pages and sites to manage. 
3. Insufficient budget allocation for further development and active engagement of Kemlu through social media hinders its ability to introduce innovative approach and adapt to the dynamics of this digital diplomacy. 

As previously mentioned, the opportunities present, among others, can be described as follows:

1.              Social media sites provide spontaneous and direct interaction with friends, families, colleagues and even strangers. Despite time differences and vast geographical space, they enable people to get in touch with a large number of people instantly, as long as both parties have access to internet connections. This will help Kemlu build extensive networks and expand its public diplomacy effectively.

2.            Social media helps spreading information easier, faster and farther, as showcased by  Twitter and Facebook which reach a global audience in real-time.

3.            Social media can be use as one of the analytical tools to get better and deeper understanding towards people from different cultures and backgrounds. Their perspectives and aspirations will help shaping the relevant policies and programs.

            When it comes to threats, considering the eternal factors that might hinder this process further, the following factors have been identified as such: 

1. As social media outlets are open platforms, engagement with them has the potential to be negative. Ill-fated users might divert or even destruct the outreach and interaction process between Kemlu and other users, as they post detrimental comments or inputs. 
2. Different level of participation and engagement, whether as an institution or on personal basis, might create confusions to users while communicating with Kemlu or Indonesian diplomats 
3. The risks of ‘losing control’ over certain issues and/or policies are imminent as public’s responses can be unpredictable sometimes. Open discussions towards particular topics should ideally support the targeted goals set by Kemlu. 
4. Different landscape of information societies and e-culture in various countries significantly impact the level of responsiveness and acceptability of people towards information disseminated through social media.

From the deliberations given above, it is safe to conclude that digital diplomacy has indeed brought fundamental change in the way governments interact with public and social media, as one of the marvels of the advance of ITC, is regarded as one of the effective tools in disseminating ideas, policies, ideologies, and even political influence, to a wide sphere of mass public. But the use of social media is not, and cannot be, a substitute of traditional face-to-face diplomacy. It is also argued that while social media has not changed the objectives of foreign policy, it has somehow changed what people expect from the government.

Opportunities to engage people directly and to have dialogue with them do, in fact, exist to social media. The ability to carefully manage and maintain responsiveness to users’ interests is crucial. Therefore, strategies for using social media as part of public diplomacy efforts should focus on creating engagement that will encourage interaction and foster interests in long-term period.

The great potentials of the use of social media is yet to be optimized in promoting Indonesia’s economy and cultural diplomacy. As social media’s greatest contribution to public diplomacy occurs when it creates potential for continued engagement and dialogue, the need for understanding target audiences and conveying information in a long–lasting and user-friendly ways is imperative.

Diplomats can definitely play more active roles in promoting economy and cultural diplomacy through social media. Either on personal level or in a formal setting, experiences show that many Indonesian diplomats depicting their personal passions and commitments towards Indonesian cultures, values and economic potentials, have positively attracted the attentions of public.

For Kemlu, ignoring the exponential impact of social media is no longer an option. Like it or not, we have to admit that social media outlets do contribute to the conduct of foreign policies and approaches used by government officials, including diplomats, in connecting with people. Therefore, creative model of public diplomacy which utilize social media should be developed and implemented.

If managed well, the benefits of engaging these new media outlets can outweigh the costs, as well as the challenges and risks emerged from this interaction. For rather ‘soft’ or neutral issues such as those related to economy and cultural diplomacy, active engagement through social media will help promoting the ideas, policies, and events related to the issues at hand.

Clearly, our own ‘21^st century statecraft’ is a work in progress. Even though ICT has yet to be fully embedded into the conduct of Indonesian diplomacy, but it is indeed a viable tool diplomats could use to further promote Indonesian economy and cultural diplomacy. Larger conceptual shift may be required with regard to the use of social media, but small steps involving formulation and implementation of effective strategies on embracing and integrating social media in the conduct of diplomacy will be a good start.

Well, I hope this article will be beneficial for all of us, particularly myself...a lot we can share, more we can do...

The Rise of Social Media: A New Frontier of Diplomacy #5

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        Indonesia’s Diplomacy in the Digital Era

            With new information and communication technologies being rigorously used in various aspect of life, including diplomacy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia,- hereinafter refer to as Kemlu, has joined the crowd as well.

As public diplomacy continues to be one of the missions of Kemlu, policies and programs which create and support Indonesia’s positive image will persistently be strengthened. Moreover, economic diplomacy, which is generally referred to as the conduct of diplomacy using economic leverages, policies and measures to achieve national goals, and cultural diplomacy, where “exchange of ideas, information, values, systems, traditions, beliefs, and other aspects of culture, with the intention of fostering mutual understanding,“[1] should ideally be supported by all elements and venues of diplomacy, including through social media outlets.

            Along with the internal institutional reform taking place since 2001, Kemlu has established two prominent directorates in this case, Public Diplomacy as well as Information and Media Directorates, under the auspices of the Directorate General of Information and Public Diplomacy (previously known as Directorate General of Information, Public Diplomacy and International Treaties).

As stipulated in the Minister for Foreign Affairs Regulation Number 7/2011, Public Diplomacy Directorate is in charge of harnessing public support at home as well as abroad towards the implementation of Indonesia’s foreign policies in the area of political, security, economic, development, social and cultural, as well as other strategic and emerging issues. It is equipped with five relevant sub-directorates, namely political and security; economics and development; social cultural; current and strategic issues; as well administrative division.[2]

            Moreover, Information and Media Directorate is responsible for taking necessary measures in the field of information and media, particularly regarding news, multimedia, data, media facilitation, audiovisual, and publishing, which will establish Indonesian positive image and shape positive public opinion supporting Indonesian national interests abroad. It has six sub-directorates, namely news; multimedia; media data; mass media facilitation; audiovisual and publishing; and administration. In this connection, multimedia sub-directorate is carrying out multimedia information management and development of Kemlu’s website, including, among others, in preparing, coordinating, and implementing policies and programs in this field. Formulation of standards, norms, guidelines, criteria and procedures in the field of information and media also falls under this sub-directorate. With this mandate, Information and Media Directorate is indeed one of the spearheads of Kemlu’s digital diplomacy.[3]

            In addition to traditional ways and media in conducting public diplomacy, various novel information and communication channels have been utilized by Kemlu, including official websites, Facebook and Twitter accounts. The official website of Kemlu, for example, has been established since 2002. Beside better displays and more user-friendly menu, further improvement is continuously conducted, including by integrating websites of Indonesia’s 131 missions abroad, which consist of 95 embassies, 3 permanent missions, 30 consulate generals and 3 consulates.[4] New menu, such as diplomatic blogs, has been added since October 9, 2009. Displaying 33 notes until the time of this writing, a wide range of topics from political to social cultural issues as well as ASEAN dynamics to protection of Indonesian citizens abroad have been expressed through creative writings.[5] Success stories of Indonesian citizens and related stakeholders abroad are also exhibited,[6] and updated information on career and scholarships, including on internships in Kemlu, job vacancies in international organizations, are also available. Furthermore, online public services such as visa and consular service, diplomatic facilities and media services, are also available on the website.

                         

           Despite the fact that formal policies on the use of social media in conducting diplomacy are yet to be developed, Kemlu has managed to create its official Facebook account and page since June 2010.Until the time of writing (November 2012), 5,995 individuals ‘like’ it, while 66 has ‘talked’ about it. Many issues, in the forms of status, links, and photos, have been raised on this page, including the latest Bali Democracy Forum, ASEAN Summit and Senior Official Meeting, as well as other events and meetings like various bilateral meetings of Foreign Minister Natalegawa with his counterparts.

           One interesting development is the recent post of the statement of British Foreign Secretary, William Hague, during the recent visit of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to that country. Unlike previous posts which dominantly took the form of links to relevant news from Kemlu’s official website, this feed is submitted as a complete statement and provided in Bahasa Indonesia as well as in English.

         On Twitter, Kemlu has established also an official account, @Portal_Kemlu_RI. Until the time of writing, there are 2,580 followers from many parts of Indonesia and the world. 1,732 tweets (as of November 18, 2012 at 10.45 am) have been broadcasted, almost all in the forms of direct links of headlines from Kemlu’s website. The English version account, @MoFA_Indonesia, has 221 tweets and 150 followers so far.[7]

           Policies as well as information regarding high-profile issues, such as protection of Indonesian citizens abroad and international security and conflicts happening in Gaza Strip, Syria, Myanmar and other places, have been tweeted frequently. Moreover, in line with Kemlu’s priorities, economic diplomacy is also highlighted, as business meetings and trade fairs, the visit of business sectors from various countries, and the signing of various trade agreements are among the feeds being tweeted. Getting more specifically on cultural diplomacy, efforts emphasizing people-to-people contacts and social cultural events, such as art and cultural scholarships, student exchanges, technical cooperation, cultural performances, Indonesian nights and many more, are also actively disseminated through Twitter.[8]

           Beside the abovementioned Kemlu’s engagement, many Indonesian missions and embassies around the world manage their own Facebook or Twitter accounts. Statistics show that Indonesian Embassies in Amman, Beijing, Bern, Bucharest, Cairo, Canberra, Den Haag, London, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Moscow, Singapore, Ottawa, Port Moresby, Washington D.C., and Yangon, among others, have actively engaged in these networking sites.

            At personal level, many of Indonesian Ambassadors and diplomats have also utilized social media outlets as one of the tools to introduce and promote Indonesia abroad. Despite the fact that their accounts are initially set for personal use, some of the feeds broadcasted elements of Indonesian values, cultures and ideas, thus positively contribute to the conduct of Indonesian diplomacy, particularly economic and cultural diplomacy. Topics such as Indonesian Batik and traditional heritage, protection of Indonesian citizens abroad, and Indonesian economic potentials dominate the feeds. Some of those active Facebook users are, among others, Prianti Gagarin Singgih-Djatmiko, Ambassador to Venezuela; Lutfi Rauf, Ambassador to Thailand; and Salman Al Farisi; Ambassador to United Arab Emirates.[9]

Nevertheless, it is important to note that dissemination of information is just one dimensional way of communicating with constituents. Two-way dialogues are increasingly needed, if not demanded, by public, as part of the increasing global culture of transparency and accountability.

At this point, Kemlu still has to further develop the 2.0 aspect of this communication, the interactive nature between Kemlu and public. The establishment of interactive dialogues with public is still limited and we cannot deny that public complaints are still lodged to this institution for not being ‘responsive’. For simple examples, in some of the feeds in Facebook, users were frequently asking about the result of a competition held by Kemlu as well as updated information about scholarships which were not swiftly responded by the administrator. Moreover, most of the “followers” or “friends” are Indonesian diasporas or Kemlu’s big family. Although it is important to engage with Indonesian constituents, outreach programs focusing on foreign citizens can be further strengthened.

Amidst the challenges and difficulties faced in embracing social media, Kemlu’s increasingly active engagement with public through social media outlets shows that the Ministry is aware of the power of digital diplomacy in strengthening the outreach programs which will eventually advance Indonesia’s national interests. Therefore, clearer policies on the use of social media, coupled with specific targets and strategies, will help enhancing the conduct of Indonesian diplomacy through these channels.  

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[1]The American political scientist and author, Dr. Milton C. Cummings, offers this profound definition of cultural diplomacy, as cited by the Institute of Cultural Diplomacy, available at http://www.culturaldiplomacy.org /index.php?en_culturaldiplomacy

[2] Minister for Foreign Affairs Regulation Number 7 Year 2011 on the Organization and Procedures in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Articles 680-699, available in http://pih.deplu.go.id/smd/php/vis_doc_file.php?id=4078.

[3]Minister for Foreign Affairs. Ibid. Articles 656-679.

[4]Hartyo Harkomoyo, Assistant Deputy Director for Information Management on Multilateral Issues, November 10 and 17, 2012, telephone interviews

[5]Blog Diplomatik, (Accessed 8 November 2012) in http://blog.kemlu.go.id

[6] Success Story, (Accessed 8 November 2012) in  http://www.kemlu.go.id/Pages/Achievement.aspx?l=en

[7] @MoFA_Indonesia is an official account of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Indonesia which uses English. https://twitter.com/MoFA_Indonesia/

[8]Kemlu RI, @Portal_Kemlu_RI, available at https://twitter.com/Portal_Kemlu_RI, accessed on October 15, November 10 – 18, 2012.

[9] Observations on the abovementioned Facebook accounts were conducted for the period of October, 15-November, 18 in www.facebook.com. Many accounts owned and managed by Indonesian diplomats are also actively promoting Indonesia, but the writer limits the observations on the three accounts submitted.

The Rise of Social Media: A New Frontier in Diplomacy #4

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A.            Winning the Heart and Minds of Peoples through Social Media: the Case of the United States of America

Many argue that the United States State Department is “the world’s leading user of e-diplomacy”, using the apparent role of social media in conducting their public diplomacy and extending their policies as well as influences. Now, there are 25 separate e-diplomacy nodes operating at the State Department Headquarter in Washington D.C., employing over 150 employees, while around 935 overseas staff employing e-diplomacy communication tools.[1]

The use of technological innovation is nothing new in the conduct of the U.S. diplomacy. Long before the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, launched her famous “21^st Century Statecraft”, which fundamentally outlined the US adoption of technology and innovation in pursuing their foreign policies agenda and goals, the State Department, in fact, has changed the way it does business since 1990s. Under Clinton Administration, the United States Information Agency (USIA) had conducted activities on computer platforms basis. As the Internet continues to be an integral part of everyday life, in 2000, the State Department continues to strengthen its engagement with wider constituencies by changing USIA’s cultural and exchange programs into the International Information Programs (IIP) with its public diplomacy officers becoming working for State Department area desks and in the field in the U.S. embassies. Moreover, the Taskforce on e-Diplomacy was also established in 2002 and later transformed into the Office of e-Diplomacy, under the wing of Undersecretary for Management.[2]

In 2006, during the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice period, ‘virtual posts’ were set up so that people can visit “a website and chat online with U.S. Diplomats.”[3] Transformational Diplomacy was introduced and following this step, the first State Department blog entry was posted on the OpinioJuris blog in January 2007 by John Belinger III, senior legal advisor. In October the same year, Dipnote, the State Department official blog on public diplomacy was officially launched. [4]

Under the first Obama Administration, which came into office with a keen sense on information and communication technologies’ potentials after the great success in the presidential campaign, the State Department continues to expand its public diplomacy through the use of the 21^st-century technology. A wide variety of social networking and communication channels have been considered and utilized to maximize the exposure as well as resonance of the U.S. outreach. These strategies were further strengthened as President Obama signed “Transparency and Open Government: Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies” on January 21, 2009. Emphasizing on the use of Web 2.0, this Memorandum outlined, among others, the Administration’s desire to tap into the knowledge of global communities, while at the same time share and expand the U.S. policies and influences.[5]

The appointment of Judith McHale, former President and the CEO of Discovery Communication, - a global giant company with 1.4 billion subscribers in 170 countries and 35 different languages, as the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (now this position is held by Ms. Tara D. Shonenshine), reinforced the President’s commitment in advancing the U.S. public diplomacy.

One poignant example of this is the mass distribution of A New Beginning, President Obama’s speech in Cairo on June 4, 2009, through a wide variety of Internet applications, including social media outlets, podcasts, as well as a live Webcast on the official White House’s website. Fully funded by the State Department, besides formal channels traditionally used by this institution, the speech and its link were available on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, including its translations in Arabic, Farsi, Urdu and eight other languages. Estimates say that the speech was spread in more than 200 countries and related text-message as well as tweets reached more than 20,000 users worldwide.[6]

As more creative models of active engagement with public through social media outlets are further developed, the U.S. State Department held a live global Twitter Q&A with the Under Secretary of State for Public Affairs and Public Diplomacy, Tara Sonenshine, in June, 2012.Issues ranging from human rights to violent acts in some parts of the world, as well as the U.S. social cultural programs were questioned, where around 16 million people worldwide were engaged.[7]

Furthermore, President Obama issued a directive entitled "Building a 21st Century Digital Government" on May 23, 2012.As a result, comprehensive Digital Government Strategy was launched, aiming at, among others, delivering better digital services to the American people. Social networking sites are also part of the platforms.[8]

The U.S. Government has decided to take greater advantage of a domestic technological innovation, particularly social media sites. In addition to the establishment of the Office of e-Diplomacy in 2003; the use of internal unclassified online encyclopedia called Diplopedia; the official blogging site, Dipnote; and ExchangesConnect, a cultural exchange social networking site,  theState Department also actively engages with public by utilizing Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google +, Flickr, Tumblr and various social media outlets. This paper intends to take a closer look at and limit the observation to the activities in Facebook and Twitter account.

In Twitter, several relevant accounts have been registered, classified into three big groups: agency accounts, such as the U.S. State Department itself, USAID, and  USAF Band; embassy accounts, such as the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta,  Cairo, London and many others; and individual practitioner accounts, which include Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton andUS Ambassador to Indonesia,

@StateDept is the official account the U.S. State Department in Twitter. Representing the base of U.S. Diplomacy, @StateDept tweets on a variety of matters of state diplomacy. A wide range of issues, starting from simple wishes forNational Day to strong content output,-mostly in the forms of direct links, about political affairs are broadcasted. Relevant information from its sub-agencies, such as USAID, is also ‘retweeted’ or republished. By the time of this writing, @StateDept has 26,423 tweets and 383,085 followers. Similarly, @usembassyjkt is officially managed by the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta. Producing 12,358 tweets and being followed by 67,638 users, @usembassyjkt mostly broadcasted issues related to social, cultural issues and people-to-people contacts. Quizzes and door prizes are also regularly held, providing additional incentives and attracting more followers and retweet. Issues such as the latest presidential election, the visit of President Obama to Jakarta and choosing school in the U.S. have been amusingly packed, inviting more and more followers of this page.

                                                                                     

At this moment, the U.S. State Department does not register and control an official organizational account in Facebook. However, most of the related Facebook accounts are registered and managed by the U.S. embassies abroad, including in Jakarta, Indonesia. In fact, Facebook account for the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta has been acknowledged as one of the leading examples of successful use of social media in engaging local people and advancing the U.S. interests in Indonesia. One simple example is the outreach program conducted by the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta prior to the visit of President Barack Obama to Indonesia in 2010.[9]

However, drawbacks and constraints do persist in using social media to disseminate public diplomacy campaigns. Not everybody likes the U.S. foreign policies towards certain issues. Those views are also broadcasted and tweeted freely. As public can have the same access, some ‘unpleasant’ or irrelevant comments are received and have the potentials to divert or even destruct the interactive process and messages previously set. Besides, as previously mentioned, different landscape of information communities and e-culture of people in various countries significantly impact the responses and acceptability of policies being distributed through social media. What works well in Indonesia does not apply in Iran or Turkmenistan, for example. Moreover, in some countries, governments do restrict the open access of internet for their peoples which hinder them from receiving information from the outside world.

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[1] Fergus Hanson, “Revolution @State: The Spread of EDiplomacy”, Lowy Institute for International Policy, (Accessed November 1 2012) in http://www.lowyinstitute.org

[2]Fergus Hanson, ibid.

[3] Farah Stockman, “U.S. to Shifts Envoys to Developing Countries, “The New York Times”, January 19, 2006, (Accessed 6 November 2012)) in http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/19/world/americas/19iht-diplo.html

[4] Ben Bain, “State Department Opens Up with Dipnote Blog,” Federal Computer Week, September 27, 2007,(Accessed November 1 2012) in http://fcw.com/articles/2007/09/27/state-department-opens-up-with-dipnote-blog.aspx

[5] “Transparency and Open Government: Memorandum for the Head of Executive Departments and Agencies”, the White House, January 2, 2009,(Accessed 3 November 2012) in http://www.whitehouse.gov/the­_press_office/TransparencyandOpenGovernment

[6]Roy Furchgott, ”State Department to Text Obama Speech, “ The New York Times, June 3, 2009, (Accessed 1 november 2012)  inhttp://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/03/voice-of-america-to-become-texts-of-america

[7]Victoria Esser, “Digital Diplomacy: A New Frontier of Diplomacy or Simply a Delusion?”, September 24, 2012, (Accessed 3 November 2012) in http://www.globalasia.org November 5, 2012

[8] Digital Government Strategies, (Accessed 3 November 2012) in http://www.state.gov/digitalstrategy/index.htm

[9]Melanie Ciolek, “Understanding Social Media’s Contribution to Public Diplomacy :How Embassy Jakarta’s Facebook Outreach Illuminates the Limitations and Potential for the State Department’s Use of Social Media,” (Accessed 2 November 2012), in http://www.uscpublicdiplomacy.org/pdfs/mciolek_ socialmedia_indonesia.pdf

The Rise of Social Media : A New Frontier of Diplomacy #3

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B.   The Changing Nature of Diplomacy – A Theoretical Review

As public diplomacy and strategic communications experts continue to explore the potential of the relatively new social media, one cannot deny the changing nature of the world of diplomacy. The marvel of information and communication technology has significantly impacted the conduct of diplomacy, which traditionally centered on government officials and took place behind the close doors.

Although many argue that ICT is only a tool which facilitates the overall business, but the changing nature of diplomacy is inevitable. New technologies are impacting the policies and changing the landscape of diplomacy, governance and international relations.

Along with the development of new communication means and tools, we have seen novel approaches involving information and communication technologies introduced and implemented in the conduct of diplomacy. Websites, social media outlets, and live-chats are now among the common platforms used by ministries and government agencies.

At the same time, those approaches and mediums enable government officials to seek and invite new partners and counterparts, which might include bloggers, artists and musicians. Many argue that the “21st century statecraft” can no longer be conducted exclusively between governments, but it must be government-to-people and people-to-people.[1]

Perhaps, it is also crucial to agree that interconnectedness is undeniably one of the significant characters of the 21st century. So is in the business of diplomacy. With connectivity as a crucial element in diplomacy, this is where ICT plays significant roles. Thanks to the exponential grow of the Internet, ensuring connectivity among states and peoples is not expensive nor complicated as it used to be. At this juncture, e-Diplomacy, or some might say, digital diplomacy, was born.

Moreover, in order to understand further the fascination over digital diplomacy, we need to refer to Joseph Nye’s theory of soft power. Described as “the ability to persuade through culture, values and ideas, as opposed to ‘hard power’, which conquers or coerces through military might, ”it further highlights the significant roles of “technology, education and economic growth,” in influencing the state’s behaviors.[2]

Whilst the ‘hard power’ approach has historically been a favored policy of governments in conducting international and regional relations, the need for a new way of cooperation and approach in this increasingly interconnected world is imperative. This is where the role of soft power in the form of public diplomacy becomes significant. Exchanges of ideas, values and cultures are packs and parcels within the international relations and social media fits in well with this notion. This expansive implication of soft power diplomacy has strengthened the role social media played in shaping public policies as well as ensuring connectivity among peoples and nations.

Here, the significant need of networking is also highlighted. Although it has been long recognized as one of the prerequisites of good diplomacy, but the way diplomats expand their networks are also evolving along with the advances of ICT. Some can argue that traditional venues such as formal meetings and functions like diplomatic receptions will serve this purpose, but ICT has proven to facilitate more acquaintances and sustain the relationships.[3]

Another development in the traditional conduct of diplomacy that is relevant here is multi-track diplomacy. Clearly, the conduct of diplomacy now involves many actors and stakeholders other than the diplomats or government officials. These many facets of diplomacy have to be managed and again, the evolution of public diplomacy includes the use of powerful new tools, social media outlets, to connect cultures, increase awareness, and advocate policy positions.

In the networked age where transparency and accountability are highly demanded, the growing desire of governments all over the world to have "two-way-dialogue" with their constituencies, whether it is at national, regional as well as international level, can be catered by social media.

In conjunction with that, networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and even local social media services like china’s micro blogging site, Sina Weibo, are now common platforms used by governments to interact with public. As expected, the U.S. is a leading player in this field, as the State Department has spawned approximately 301 Twitter accounts and 408 Facebook pages with millions of “followers” from every corner of the world.

Meanwhile, most other countries still lag behind although they have embraced or even implemented similar strategies to conquer digital diplomacy world. United Kingdom, which ranks number four on most active Twitter user and number six for most active Facebook members, now has around 20 of its ambassadors as active Twitter users, following William Hague, their tweeting foreign minister.

At individual level, no less than the late Hugo Chavez, the President of Venezuela, managed his Twitter account actively with approximately 3.7 million followers. Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s prime minister, has 1.5 million followers, while Barack Obama’s twitter account has nearly 20 million followers. Similarly, Dilma Rousseff, Brazil’s Pesident and Carl Bildt, Sweden’s Foreign Minister, add to this extensive list. In the case of Indonesia, two striking examples are Dino Patti Djalal, Indonesian Ambassador to the U.S., with 119.138 followers and 2,440 tweets; and Hazairin Pohan, the Head of Center for Education and Training as well as Indonesian Ambassador to Poland from 2006 - 2011, with 17,421 tweets and 1,743 followers, in times of writing.[4]

The European Union, which is the home of roughly 150 million of Facebook users, has also embraces digital diplomacy, with European External Action Service (EEAS) as the spearhead of EU’s public diplomacy. Creating Facebook page since May 2011 and maintaining two Twitter accounts, EEAS continues to improve its engagement through social media.[5]

If we analyze further, there are three main reasons why social media has been successfully chosen as the new frontier of diplomacy. Firstly, social media enables us to directly engage with citizens around the world. With millions of subscribers from almost every corner of the world, social media can facilitate the network expansion and make public diplomacy effective.  Second, sharing information in real-time and on global scale can be easily done. User-friendly technologies and down-to-earth approach used in social media make the dissemination process easier, faster, and farther. Third, intensive communication with extensive networks in social media enables us to understandpeople and events more deeply, giving us a more comprehensive picture of public’s aspirations and perspectives. Therefore, further analysis on the information received through social media will be the best use of it.

However, there are some limitations as well. We cannot deny that the slow pace adaptation to digital diplomacy by many foreign ministries suggest that there is a degree of uncertainty over what digital diplomacy is and its potentials. It can be a rude awakening for governments as digital diplomacy requires transparency, where some countries still restrict the internet connection for their citizens. At some point, loss of control due to public demands is the risks governments must be willing to take. In additions, the use of social media outlets do not always yield benefits, as people do have illicit and ill-fated purposes while using them. E-culture among people also varies, resulting in different level of acceptability and responsiveness towards contents distributed through social media outlets.

It is also important to note that digital diplomacy is not, and is never meant to be, a replacement of face-to-face diplomacy. It, in fact, builds on traditional statecraft, incorporating the new technologies, demographics and networks of the modern era. Social media is just a new means, new instrument, for advancing the same end which is built on the traditional government-to-government connections. It is indeed too naïve to believe that meaningful relationships with and among people can be built through social networking media only. Therefore, virtual interactions need to move forward in order to get real substantive gains in diplomacy.

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[1] Owen Henry, ““Twitter Diplomacy” Engagement Through Social Media in 21^st Century Statecraft,”(Accessed 15 October 2012), in http://etd.ohiolink.edu/view.cgl/ris.cgl?acc_num=oberlin1338307388.

[2]Joseph S. Nye, Jr., “Public Diplomacy and Soft Power,” Journal of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 616: 94 – 109.

[3] Henry Owen, ibid.

[4] This paper was prepared in November 2012, using the latest data and statistics during the time of writing.

[5] Megan Kena, “Social Media: following EU public diplomacy and friending MENA”, Policy Brief, European Policy Centre, July 2011,(Accessed 15 November 2012) in http://hawk.ethz.ch/serviceengine/files/ISN/141498/epublicationdocument_singledocument/ 55edfa45-e002-4363-ac6a-292ccfd9042b/en/pub_1320_social_media.pdf