The U.S. State Department Wants to Hear from You

Helle Dale / June 09, 2010

In its ongoing search for solutions to U.S. public diplomacy challenges – some might call it a deficit – the State Department has launched yet another new Internet venture, a social website called Opinion Space. At a time when Internet censorship in countries like Iran, Cuba and China present a profound challenge to freedom of expression, the State Department is focusing its resources in the wrong direction.

The Internet is a great public diplomacy tool, but only when used as part of a strategy support U.S. policy goals such as democracy, freedom and human rights. Doing so could actually have a huge impact on the international political landscape. While the State Department is launching new social websites, Internet games and video contests, funding appropriated by Congress for cyber technology that can break down authoritarian firewalls has been trickling out of the State Department at snail’s pace. This is putting an exciting new public diplomacy tool to the wrong uses. (more…)