A little over one month ago, Jewish Twitter received a conspicuous new member: Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren (@AmbassadorOren). On his feed (which, he told me, he mostly writes himself), Oren shies from controversy, instead thanking various U.S. dignitaries for visiting or hosting him, linking to op-eds he’s published or speeches he’s given, and wishing folks a happy new week on Saturday evenings.

Suzanne Philion, a 34-year-old who works under Clinton as Senior Advisor for Innovation in the Bureau of Education & Cultural Affairs at the U.S. State Department, embodies that new era. Foreign Service in the 21st century is far cooler than many people realize, she says, and thanks to ever-changing job assignments, not to mention an ever-changing global political landscape.

Rio+Social brings together leaders in social media, technology, global issues, and sustainability at Rio+20, the United Nations conference on sustainable development taking place next month. Influencers, bloggers, innovators, policymakers, NGO representatives, and stakeholders are invited to attend and apply for accreditation at http://www.rioplussocial.com.

Where nations were once connected through emissaries and traders, they are now networked through millions of citizens by tools such as fibre optics... Information flows have become multidirectional with a multitude of media platforms that have mushroomed increasing direct communications, greater access to information, information sharing, and greater outreach.

“The challenges that Ambassador McFaul is facing in Russia demonstrate how U.S. embassies that participate in social media are vulnerable to backlash from their host country. However, it is clear that Twitter is has become a valuable mechanism to circumvent traditional media channels and foster a direct dialog between foreign individuals and the U.S. government."