Public Diplomacy 2.0

Description

James Glassman, the US undersecretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs:

"The best way to achieve our goals in public diplomacy is through a new approach to communicating, an approach that is made far easier because of the emergence of Web 2.0 or social networking technologies," he said.

"We call our new approach Public Diplomacy 2.0," said Glassman, who replaced Karen Hughes as the State Department's top image-maker after the confidante of President George W. Bush stepped down from the post late last year.

"Al-Qaeda and other violent extremist organizations have exploited the Internet to their advantage but that advantage has rapidly diminished," he said. "New technology gives the United States a significant comparative advantage over the terrorists."

Glassman said it was vital that the US government adapt its tools and its message to the Internet era." (http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gUJy-NE8XUQeOjtq1N0ZUlmZcEkw)