WASHINGTON --- If you think China and Iran are where the fight for Internet freedom are centered, you may want to reconsider.

According to Bob Boorstin, Google’s Director of Corporate and Policy Communications, the crucial battles today are elsewhere.

“India is number one,” he said, when I asked which country was at the top of his list. Another is Russia, where he said the problem is the corrupt private individuals who may soon hold the Internet for ransom.

"You may soon be paying large fees to mysterious figures,” he predicted, for Internet access there.

Technological advancements are ushering in new forms of “government to people” and “people to people” engagement. The use of technology to encourage public diplomacy marks a pivotal shift in U.S. diplomacy and foreign policy — and should continue to play a greater role in supporting democracy and improving relations with countries around the world.

What is the role of social media in the modern diplomacy? Yaron Gamburg, the spokesperson for the Israeli embassy in Paris and the organizer of the Digital Diplomacy workshop, attempts an answer.

With the vast majority of North Koreans not having access to the Internet, such initiatives are aimed solely at an international audience. Those who have do have Internet access connect through the “Kwangmyong,” essentially an isolated national Intranet...

Another reason why the United States government tries its level best to ensure a free Internet is because it serves its foreign policy goals with respect to public diplomacy and outreach at very minimal cost. Internet-enabled protest movements are bringing down undemocratic governments faster

APDS Blogger: Jerry Edling

APDS Blogger: Maya Babla

UNAM hopes to upload everything it has — from 18th century newspapers and vintage films to hundreds of thousands of student theses and a still-to-be-gauged sea of classroom teaching items — and let the world have it free of charge. The project, called Toda la UNAM en Línea (All of UNAM Online), made its debut last month.