How did this profession come about?

The fact that diplomacy should be open, transparent and accessible to any person was first said by US President Woodrow Wilson back in 1918. One of the peace treaties of that time said: “Open peace treaties, openly discussed, will not allow different interpretations of these agreements to appear. , diplomacy will always act openly and in front of the public. " A little less than a century later, digital technologies, the Internet and social networks made such openness the property of the whole world and every person - from the leader of the state to the common man in the street.

All government bodies operate in the digital information space, and international relations and diplomacy are no exception. With the massive development of the Internet, social networks and new media in the 2000s, politicians realized that it was necessary to fill the information space on the international field. That is, to promptly convey correct information to Internet users, refute incorrect information, and confirm news from official sources. And the main thing is to influence public opinion and create a positive image of your country in the global world, promote its culture and achievements. The reason is simple - only cooperation and cultural exchange lead to world peace.

The United States was the first to develop digital diplomacy programs in 2002-2003, and later other countries, including Russia, followed suit. In the late 2000s, President Dmitry Medvedev used digital diplomacy techniques. He was one of the first Russian politicians to open a Twitter account, where he promptly responded to various events in political and public life. Other officials and officials followed suit. The employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have got their own pages in social networks, in which they expressed the views and position of Russia on international events.

By the mid-2010s, almost every country had institutions responsible for developing digital diplomacy. Therefore, there is a need for such a profession as a specialist in digital diplomacy. Let's see what such a professional can do.

In what areas does a digital diplomacy specialist work?

Public diplomacy

You may have already read on the website about the profession of a specialist in public diplomacy, which helps to create the image of state representatives in the information space, from official speeches to posts on social networks. And an expert on digital diplomacy will be his partner in this process - he embodies the ideas of his colleague, builds strategies for posting diplomatic content on social networks and on other platforms, analyzes the processes taking place in them and the reactions of society.

At the same time, it is very important that digital diplomacy is focused on achieving the strategic goals of the state, and not assessed by the number of likes and reposts (although this is also important) or memes and jokes on various political incidents or the personality of a particular politician. This requires high-quality diplomatic analytics.

Political big data

Analytical diplomats can process huge amounts of information. Including knowledge and experience accumulated by a person throughout history, which can be usefully applied in political negotiations, forecasts and planning. Foreign ministries will also successfully manage information, using it to respond to various international challenges and assert their country's influence in the world.

Consular activities

Digital diplomacy tools can also be used in consular activities. This includes electronic processing and preparation of visa documentation, as well as contacts with compatriots abroad, through social networks, instant messengers, e-mail. Digital communication methods are indispensable in case of emergencies and natural disasters - to establish emergency communication with the country's embassy abroad.

 IT products for diplomacy

For diplomatic relations, technologies are important to ensure the secure transfer of data. For example, a joint invention of scientists from the UK and the USA - i2P, an anonymous Internet network for confidential communication and data transfer. Another important development for diplomacy is SMISC, an invention of American researchers that helps analyze social media and track the reactions of Internet users to certain political events and processes. Russian diplomacy undoubtedly needs high-level IT specialists who would provide international specialists with the most modern technologies. Perhaps you will become one of them?