What Is Twiplomacy?

We may have come a long way from the days when we only had access to the government's official channels of communication, but we still can't get away from it. When it comes to social media, we're all in this together! That's why you should be aware that your Tweets are watched by a lot of people—and that those people don't always agree with what you say. They might not even understand what you're saying! But don't worry: Twiplomacy refers to the use of Twitter and other social media sites by government agencies and officials to engage with the public, disperse information and even leverage global influence. The term emerged from an August 2012 report from Geneva-based public relations firm Burson-Marsteller, which studied world leaders on Twitter and attempted to illustrate how social media is closing the gap between these leaders and the public they serve. According to Burson-Marsteller, almost two-thirds of the United Nations' 193 member states have a presence on Twitter. Perhaps most famously, in the U.S., the Obama administration received high marks for using social media as a tool to inform, leverage and even apply pressure regarding the Administration's position on important issues. For example, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is well known for encouraging the use of social media tools throughout foreign service. In addition to providing useful information to citizens, governments are also able to use these platforms to influence public opinion and garner support for their policies. A prime example of this is how former president Barack Obama used his Twitter account to promote his signature legislation: The Affordable Care Act (ACA). In an effort to gain support for his signature healthcare reform plan, he created a video series called "This Week at Obamacare." These videos featured interviews with ordinary Americans discussing how they benefited from Obamacare and how it has made them feel safer and healthier. He also posted pictures of himself meeting people who had benefited from the ACA while touring around rural areas across America, highlighting how many people still struggle without access to quality healthcare coverage in this country today! When it comes out that your company is involved in some sort