In the interval between when BBC aired reports of Kim Jong Il's death and when CCTV and other Chinese state media got around to making their own reports on Monday, the Chinese Internet was already abuzz with news and commentary on the North Korean leader's passing, from famous and unknown Weibo users alike.

The emergence of Weibo promotes public interaction to an unprecedented level and enables limitless discussions on topics like the bullet train crash and the scandal surrounding the Red Cross Society of China. Weibo serves as a watershed mark for China's media environment.

Some governments are using advanced technologies to chill free expression, to stifle dissent, to identify and arrest dissidents," Deputy Assistant Secretary Baer said. "Through our diplomacy and through direct support for embattled activists worldwide, we are helping people stay one step ahead of the censors, the hackers, and the brutes who beat them up or imprison them for what they say online.

Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP) Coordinator Dawn L. McCall travels this week to Seoul, South Korea and Jakarta, Indonesia to meet with social media researchers and senior Embassy officials to discuss social media trends, public opinion of the United States, and public diplomacy programs.

Israeli Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Danny Ayalon released a video that offers the Israeli government's point-of-view of the background and context of the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. The video quickly drew fire from the Palestinian National Authority, with chief negotiator Saeb Erekat terming it a "cynical and falsified account of history and international law," and called on Israel to explain its posting.

The State Department has declared the intent to use Internet and the opportunities created from this new open communication platform, to leverage U.S. national interests on a global scale. Part of this initiative includes a commitment to freedom of expression, not just for the citizens of the United States, but for people everywhere.

Since 2008, under the leadership of the Obama Administration and direction of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the United States has actively advocated for a more networked society. The U.S. Department of State has coined this initiative, 21st Century Statecraft.