us department of state
"Within the State Department, a Silicon Valley veteran has quietly launched an improbable new initiative to annoy, frustrate, and humiliate denizens of online extremist forums," writes Wired's Spencer Ackerman today, reporting on the government's Viral Peace initiative, which sounds more apt to take down a World of Warcraft guild rather than a terrorist network.
“It’s not easy for all of you, I’m sure, to sum up what this experience has been like for you, but I can tell you that, from where we are, what we are filled up with is pride. We’re proud of you for demonstrating your understanding of the needs of your own communities,” said Tara Sonenshine, undersecretary for public diplomacy and public affairs.
In the latest CPD Perspectives paper, titled "Practicing Successful Twitter Public Diplomacy: A model and case study of U.S. efforts in Venezuela," Erika Yepsen examines the role Twitter can play in public diplomacy, and how current policy needs to adapt to enable government to capitalize upon the benefits of the technology to engage effectively online.
I am thrilled that the Women in Public Service Project, which we launched in Washington in December, has tapped such a deep vein of enthusiasm for expanding the number of women answering the call to public service around the world.
Coordinator for the US Department of State’s Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP) Dawn McCall is scheduled to visit Taiwan on Tuesday to experience first-hand US public diplomacy outreach, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) announced yesterday.
A widely read microblog written by the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai and known for its sometimes tongue-in-cheek comments about China's social and political issues was inaccessible Friday. Sina Weibo, China's most popular microblog site that hosts the consulate's account, said it could be a technical glitch, an explanation the company has given in the past in cases where censorship was at work.
The Obama Administration's State Department hasn't been an especially strong advocate for human rights, as the recent mishandling of Chinese dissident's Chen Guangcheng's case made painfully clear. Now there's news of more fumbles—this time, in Vietnam.
Demand for visas to visit the United States is growing, but getting one, for many foreigners, has sometimes meant frustratingly long waits for interviews and processing. The State Department struggled to keep up, but this year it took steps to improve. Now, the department says, it has chalked up some victories.