Is Twitter the New Face of Diplomacy?
The world was shocked when it was released that North Korea joined Twitter. In a land where censorship is nothing out of the ordinary, joining a social network like Twitter seemed like an unlikely move. The official Twitter account, @uriminzok has a surprising 10,000 followers but it doesn’t follow a single other account. With quick help from Google Translate, the Twitter feed can be roughly translated to English but this provides little help in understanding many of the tweets. Why join a social network if one does not intend to be social?
Despite a lack of interaction via Twitter, US State Department Spokesman Phillip J. Crowley has made numerous attempts to create a dialog between the US and North Korea with pointed tweets and hashtags of #Korea. He has even gone so far as to specifically reference the country’s censorship on public communication saying, “The North Korean government has joined Twitter, but is it prepared to allow its citizens to be connected as well?” Crowley is referencing a known penchant for the North Korean government for censoring media. It is believed that despite the government’s involvement in social media, the people of the country are actually unable to view such content. This paradoxical situation seems quite unfair to most of the world.
Twitter is not the only social media outlet North Korea is engaging in. They are also found on Facebook and YouTube. Is this a new form of diplomacy or just a new way to fight back at accusations? North Korea has yet to respond directly to any tweets or posts, yet they continue to tweet and post their own content which includes making accusations and harsh comments towards both South Korea and the United States. Social media could be just a way to progress their political agenda instead of communicate with the outside world. Until a response is given however, why not continue trying to reach out using social media as the new form of diplomacy?
Social Media Reveals Political Tensions in Foreign Affairs
In the United States, we often take free speech and other First Amendment rights for granted. It seems as though every other day the news reports of other countries censoring the media, particularly social media. Although we have a right to express our opinion and share our thoughts, we must remind ourselves that we must do so without being disrespectful or rude. Just as we are entitled to our own beliefs, so is everyone else. This does not come without consequence. Relations between Israel and the Palestinians have been on shaky ground for what seems like forever. Thanks to Facebook and a careless photo post, that relationship and the true character of some people have been brought to light.
Monday the Israeli military, which prides itself on discipline and ethics, saw harsh criticism after a soldier posted a photo on her Facebook page smiling in front of bound and blindfolded Palestinian captives. Many see this photo as inappropriate given the joking nature portrayed in it as well as the already high tension between Israel and the Palestinians. Sadly, this is not the first time the Israeli military has had issues with social media. They had their five minutes of YouTube fame when one Israeli unit patrolling the West Bank broke out into choreographed dance on camera. Were they being disrespectful or were they just trying to pass the time? While the rest of the world sees the Israel-Palestinian conflict to be very serious, these incidents reveal how light some Israeli military personnel are viewing the situation. Making light of their patrols or showing joy at nabbing captives is not appropriate behavior given how long this conflict has been going on and how many lives have been lost to violence. The US military knows some of their pain. In 2003, military guards took similar snapshots of Iraqi detainees. When they surfaced, the guards were promptly removed and punished with jail time for prisoner abuse. It is a public outrage when these things occur. Military personnel are expected to behave accordingly when they are wearing the uniform; to carry out the values their uniforms stand for.
Even though we see Facebook, Twitter, and personal blogs as our own sites or outlets, too often we forget that they are still public, to some extent. Social media naturally is a public world of web connections. That does not mean we can be crass and disrespectful. Hateful comments, posts, pictures, or videos still receive scrutiny. Everyone has their own opinion but tact makes all of the difference.
Do you think there should be a social media code of ethics on posted content?
Is It Time to Set New Internet Regulations for Political Campaigns?
A California watchdog group has recently released a report calling for more uniform regulations for internet use of “new media” in political campaigns. This is aiming at social media particularly and if people are being paid to tweet or post on behalf of political candidates or their fundraising committees. The commission report also calls for California to update is legislation regarding campaigns and media use so that it includes the latest technologies and media platforms. Could this be the start of a trend? Perhaps all states should look at their campaign regulations and integrate new social media into them. With mid-term elections on the horizon, a surge in social media use by politicians is expected. With the rise in popularity, political candidates are using Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and many other social networks to interact with their audience and convey their campaign message. Although this is a natural evolution in campaign strategy, the same rules guiding traditional media messages should be applied. Social media is the new, more powerful, version of word-of-mouth which makes it more important to adhere to professional behavior guidelines when it comes to a campaign and more importantly, candidate opponents.
Taking the Campaign to Your Fingertips
Thanks to CBS Outdoor, political candidates can now integrate a mobile smartphone application as a part of their campaign. The Campaign Voter App allows users to follow up-to-date news, blogs, photos, and political events right from their fingertips. The application also allows campaign enthusiasts to easily show their support for their candidate with a quick and easy donations button. The application takes about two weeks to set up and complete and comes with a significant cost. Despite this, if used effectively, the return could be well worth the price. As the political arena is becoming more and more heated with debates and uncertainty, word-of-mouth is incredibly effective. 
The success and popularity of social media makes this application a logical step in engaging the audience more effectively and efficiently. Campaign followers conveniently have access to breaking news and information making sure they are up-to-date on a candidate’s platform.Coincidentally, campaign followers also have a unique resource on hand any time they have their mobile phone.Should they find themselves involved in a debate, they can quickly turn to the application for supporting facts to build their argument. Having access to reliable information fast can help spread the campaign message via word-of-mouth. Being able to have supporting evidence will build a stronger case for a candidate and can help gain support in the audience. It can be a powerful tool.
Would you be willing to integrate this application into your next campaign?
Google’s Apps are Ready to Take on the Government
This week, Google unveiled its government app that is geared toward government agencies. This collection of apps is the first cloud computing app suite to receive the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) certification meaning it is much more convenient for federal agencies to adopt them. The app suite creates a virtual web of communication for use within an agency. All employees will be able to access a synced calender with all events on it, a secure document database so that agency departments can share information as well as video data. Hopefully, this will be a useful integration for government agencies and will therefore increase the efficiency and effectiveness of doing business. Large cities such as Los Angeles have adopted this new platform and many others will soon follow.
The UK Government Takes New Steps to Allow Citizens to Have a Voice in Policy
The United Kingdom government has sought out Facebook to learn how to allow citizens to interact with the government and let their voices and opinions be heard (from Mashable). With Prime Minister David Cameron’s latest plan to take on spending cuts, he began looking for ways to let those he serves have input on the policy changes. He is exploring how Facebook can serve as the primary channel for the UK government to not only connect with users but also serve as an information resource. The program, dubbed “The Spending Challenge” has already seen success. Could this be the start of a new trend? Democracy faces many challenges today and among the top ones is the feeling that there is a lack of democracy. Many voters in America feel like their vote doesn’t matter or their voice is ignored. By opening up direct communication, this could be changed. Assuming the spending challenge achieves its goals in the UK, many other governments could look into copying the project as a way of improving communication between the government and its people.
License plate advertising could be the new thing
Recently, California has reported (via mashable) that it is considered selling advertisements on digital license plates as a creative way to raise money to fight the state’s high budget deficit. These ads would only show when the car was stationary. Some people are concerned about safety, saying that flashy advertisements on license plates could be distracting. Others are in favor of this plan because it will
bring money in for the state. Still, other people are more concerned about the over-saturation of advertisements already out there. Billboards are everywhere. Giant posters on the sides of buildings are everywhere. Print ads are everywhere. Pop-up and banner ads on the internet are everywhere. Even our cell phones are not safe from ads. What I’m interested to see is how this will play into political campaigns. California tends to be a “hot” state with intense elections, both state and national. Let’s pretend this plan happens. Let’s also pretend it can be cost-effective. What would happen if someone is stuck in grid-lock traffic on the highway and every car in front of them had the same political candidate’s name on it? Isn’t that what you’d want? Your campaign would be seen be a large mass of people at the same time. Political candidates could even have more than one ad that could share their goals if they get elected or facts about why they are a good choice for office. Personally, by the time election day comes around, I’m tired of all of the political messages on television. If I had to suffer that plus staring at them while sitting in traffic because it is literally on the car in front of me, I’m not sure if I’d be more knowledgeable about the election or if I’d just be irritated by the bombardment of advertisements everywhere I go.
Foursquare adds C-SPAN to its team
C-SPAN is the latest network to team up with Foursquare, as Mashable reports. This attempt to boost political education and C-SPAN’s mobile presence will allow visitors checking in to be provided with tips geared towards politics.
For example, they will be presented to watch a documentary on the federal budget when they check in at the capital building in Washington, D.C. Also, a check in at the Supreme Court will afford visitors the opportunity to watch Supreme Court Justice interviews via C-SPAN. Soon, these political education tips will expand to cities outside the D.C. area. This is a great opportunity to use social media to increase the public’s general knowledge about U.S. politics. 
Almost every time a major election comes around, the media constantly points out how low voter-turn out there is and how generally, many people do not have a great deal of knowledge about politics in America. By reaching out through social media, I believe this can be changed, especially by using location-based apps when consumers check in at politically relevant locations.
Social Media is a Continuous Political Polling System
Obama’s first Oval Office address took place this week to update America on the BP oil crisis. The reaction and backlash from his short speech was quickly seen via social media outlets Facebook and Twitter. As Mashable reports, many users were unhappy with Obama’s speech. The article did highlight how social media has become the virtual water cooler for politics today. What is really unique about this trend is that political candidates and those already in office can have direct feedback with their constituents as they “fan” or “like” posts on Facebook and then tweet about them. Followers are likely to share their honest opinions via social media as well giving the politician a clearer insight into those he or she actually represents. 
Companies such as Twitalyzer or Twitteranalyzer have made it easy to get statistics about a Twitter account. Statistics such as how many retweets or mentions an account is receiving is available with just a click of a button. The disadvantage of social media serving as the new water cooler is that it makes word-of-mouth that much more important. Information can spread at a seemingly lightning speed because it is literally at our fingertips. If someone votes on a bill or piece of legislation that constituents do not agree with, it only takes a few seconds for word to get out and spread throughout the virtual world.
Using Social Media in a Slightly Different Way
Twitter, Facebook, and similar information sharing social media networks usually inform followers what someone is doing, what is new with them, or what is on their mind. However, former governor Rod Blagojevich are using social media to update followers on their corruption trial. This is a slightly different way to incorporate social media into one’s daily life. Talk about finding a new way to get the media on your side. Blagojevich’s corruption trial involving his activities while governor of Illinois began this week and Blagojevich tweeted that he was excited for the trial to begin. Blagojevich is charged with racketeering, bribery conspiracy, extortion, and wire fraud. Clearly, Blagojevich is using social media to his advantage. He has constantly affirmed that he did nothing wrong while he was in office and revealed his confidence again via Twitter saying, “The truth is on our side.”
Former Governor Rod Blagojevich
Often, media is restricted in high profile court proceedings. Here, Blagojevich is doing his part to share what is happening inside with everyone interested on the outside. This brings up a unique issue between those in the public eye and the public itself. I feel that frequently we here celebrities, politicians, and other high profile individuals complaining about a lack of privacy. They say they are never actually alone and that they don’t like what it has done to their daily lives. In this case, Blagojevich is inviting the public to be more involved in his life. Most politicians would prefer to keep events inside the court room strictly inside the court room, regardless of guilt or innocence. I find it intriguing that Blagojevich’s newest campaign is not for an election, but merely for support and he eliminates all barriers in his power to reach his audience. Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and YouTube provide the means to share any information with social media users. This is both good and bad information; biased and unbiased. There is also a greater element of freedom which is also a risk. Politicians know this. Celebrities know this. That being said, is there really room for a private life when you put yourself in the public eye? It will be interesting to see if Blagojevich can win a victory of support through his information sharing as the trial goes on. Despite any public favor gained through his latest campaign, those inside the court will be the ones to decide regardless of how many tweets Blagojevich makes protesting his innocence.
Social Media Solutions prides itself on being a “hands on” social media agency. Our team has not only a strong educational background in business development, but also has a multitude of real-world experience in designing successful strategic initiatives for global corporations and small businesses alike. Our staff will partner with your company to ensure the development & implementation of the best social media strategy possible. 
