New Technologies and Cyber Diplomacy

There is a new specter haunting the planet - the specter of Information Technology and its challenge to traditional institutions.

Almost imperceptively, a host of digital technologies have come on the scene in all countries and are clearly changing the dynamic of commuications and thus of power.

The new communications regime includes: web sites, cell phones, smart phones (devices that are cell phone, mini computer, web surfer, e-mailer, PDA, voice recorder, plus such as the Samsung i730 I just got which is called a "data device"), WiFi, web casting, blogs, podcasts (voice casting-Internet), vods (video casting on the Internet), virtual radio stations, and a host of other communications techniques.

These have removed the monopoly of communications and information from institutional centers - governments, chirches, corporations - and shifted them to an unlimited host of actors.

In this environment, public and official diplomacy, such as the USA delivers through the Department of State, must be prepared to compete in a marketplace that is fluid, agile, dynamic, and in many cases superior in the quantity as well as quality of the product delivered.

We can compete effectively if we understand the following:

1. There are multiple "marketpalces" determined by the user's technology and substantive interests.

2. Text is no longer an acceptable delivery medium - we must create imaginative, interesting, short, compelling sound and sight messages in our communications strategy.

3. We absolutely need to reorganize the "boxes" on our table of organization and redesign the bureucracy for the digital communications age. Our institutions were designed for an analog world. most of us are analog people. the transition to digital institutions and highly mobile, 24-7 operation, pervasive communcations, organizations/people is painful, urgent, and must be driven by new public administration policies and concepts.

4. We are losing the communications competition (war?). The adversaries and detractors of American values and policy have the flexibility and incentive for "guerrilla communications" and, like roadside and suicide bombers, operate in an environment that is largely anti-bureaucratic, risk-taking, decentralized, and "swarming." Traditional government institutions are centralized, hierarchical, routinized, and risk-adverse.

We can win this race or battle but we must recognize that Congress, the President, and most of the top management in the federal government are analog people. Many are not very comfortable with the fast-moving, high end of Information and Communications technologies. We need to delegate to those who are tecchies and we need to educate those who are not. Otherwise we will arrive at virtual diplomacy after the train has left the station (or, the packet has left the router!).