Protestors in Moldova

While we can debate the role of each service, the basic facts are true – the Social Web was and is being used to report, organize and influence protests against the Communists in Moldova.

Vitalie Eşanu provided some interesting lessons from the front lines, stating that they used McDonald’s free wifi as cellphones were being blocked. He also commented on the organization of the protests stating:

Initial organization, was spread over twitter and Facebook, and expected only few persons. Later we agree to create #pman to spread about this event over the world, and use Facebook for photos, and Youtube for videos

Twitter is still being used actively to report on events in Moldova and you can follow the twitter stream using the hashtag #pman. Watching this stream you can read the real-time reports of protesters as well as insights and advice being provided on how to respond.

Now, while many will argue the exact utility and role of services like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Flickr in these protests, I am concerned with the more basic issue of access. In many cases the protesters were unable to communicate or organize via the social web or phones because services were turned off or blocked. This is not a new phenomenon – governments have shut down and restricted printing presses, radios, television, cellular and internet services in the past. Given today’s technology we should start thinking about how we can provide rapidly deployable internet and cellular service when the time comes for the US to support movements such as these. I’m not arguing that Moldova is a place we should intervene, but I am saying we should analyze this event and think to the near future.

jeffbentley: reading: The Challenges of Perception Management in National Strategy and Military Operations [.pdf] http://tinyurl.com/d2gcvc

USAF Matteo Martemucci

The document “Regaining the High Ground: The Challenges of Perception Management in National Strategy and Military Operations” was written by Matteo G. Martemucci (Maj, USAF) while attending the Joint Forces Staff College in 2007. (Matteo is now Director of Operations at the 547th Intelligence Squadron)

The abstract of Maj Martemucci’s paper is below:

The informational element of power may be the most elusive for the U.S. Government to wield, but its importance is proportional to its difficulty. With the rise in global terrorist networks and a precipitous decline in world opinion of America’s foreign policy, Perception Management is more critical now than at any time in America’s history. This paper attempts to answer the question of why, in this time of conflict, it is so difficult for the U.S. Government to effectively leverage the informational element of power. It explores three friction-inducing elements that afflict the U.S. Government, including the military. The U.S. Government’s politics & personalities, bureaucracy, and aversion to the use of mass media, even in time of war, have precluded an integrated Perception Management campaign.
A historical review of Perception Management strategies since World War I reveals that this difficulty is based largely on individual personalities, an ever-growing bureaucracy, and an historical American concern about the perceived manipulation of the media by its government. To solve this problem, the President must clearly define lines of authority regarding the Government’s Perception Management strategy. He must also give that authority to a strong leader capable of coordinating the disparate efforts of numerous Government agencies. Finally, the U.S. Government must take a more proactive approach to media engagement as part of an integrated strategic Perception Management campaign.

Thinking about these three historical friction points made me wonder how social media will fare and how it will influence perception management.

Individual Personalities

Without revisiting the “personalities” in place during the writing of this paper in 2007, let’s instead look to the present and future. First, President Obama has handled himself skillfully in the strategic communication and social media front. Beyond the fact that his campaign leveraged the social web for an amazing victory, Obama’s interview with al-Arabiya Network in Dubai showed a policy of dialogue rather than dictation – certainly a format more appropriate for social media. Regardless of political inclination, we all have to agree that our nation’s highest leader has certainly set the tone for social media.

A group of Iraqi men watch Obama on TV

Under Secretary Clinton’s leadership the US State Department has engaged in innovative and effective social media campaigns reflecting a clear commitment to the power of social media. We can rightly expect that our nation’s Public Diplomacy efforts will continue to embrace social media.

Within the Department of Defense, key military leaders including Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, General David Petraeus, and his adviser David Kilcullen have focused American military strategy towards counterinsurgency and favor the use of “soft power”. Across the military we see key military leaders stepping up to the plate and embracing the social web. In an earlier post we highlighted the “Leadership By Example” mentality of US Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen who has boldly spread the use of social media across his command. Similarly, Admiral Stavridis, commander of SOUTHCOM and his counter-part at AFRICOM, General Ward, have been using the internet to engage audiences. In fact, all across the military we are starting to see military commands embrace social media.

While “personalities” may have been a hindrance in past perception management policy and strategies, I expect the new administration as well as leaders within the Department of State and Department of Defense will usher in a new era of coordinated campaigns as well as a firm embrace of social media.

Bureaucracy

Yes, we got boatloads of bureaucracy and it’s not changing fast enough or soon enough. While I expect social media to revolutionize how we engage with foreign audiences, I expect bureaucratic challenges to be our biggest barrier. We will have to change our acquisition system, policies, operations, security procedures, manpower, training and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Politicians, agency heads and leaders across the government will have to make decisions, and we expect that will require years of staff work.

The Register has a great article about Andrew McLaughlin (Barack Obama Transition Team) and his attempt at “bringing Web 2.0 to Washington.” While Andrew’s experience is typical, the government is plodding along. The GSA recently signed deals with key social web companies such as Youtube, Flickr, Vimeo and Blip.tv. allowing them to use these services. But, look at the small print – it took nine months to put these agreements in place. Imagine how long an entire social media / social web strategy will take.

Deconstructing government bureaucracy in the near to mid term is unlikely, but there are movements working hard to change that reality. Government 2.0 Club is a great example and CNET was there to cover the ‘national organization created to allow government, academia, and industry to collaborate on Web 2.0 solutions for government.’ We attended along with hundreds of other Gov 2.0 idealists and had a chance to talk to foks such as Jack Holt who is leading social media change at the Defense Media Activity as well as Bill May of the US State Department who described State’s use of twitter, blogs, social networks, online video and other social media tactics.I also had a chance to talk with Laurel Ruma of O’Reilly Media and have great expectations for their Government 2.0 Summit in September of 2009.

The bottom line here is that bureaucracy is unlikely to change quickly, but it will change.

Social Media to the Frontlines

Perceived Manipulation of the Media by its Government

What a change two years can bring. When Major Martemucci wrote his original report I expect his frame of mind centered on the notion of mainstream media – namely how the US Government engaged and pushed its message to the leviathons of mass media. But in the two years since his paper was published, the media landscape has been upset by the emergence of social media. While broadcast news and papers aren’t dead, their influence has waned with the emergence of bloggers, citizen journalism, microblogging, and livestreaming. Now and into the future, these new sources of social media will increasingly frame perceptions of US policy and operations abroad.

Leaders and staff within the White House, US State Department and Department of Defense recognize this emerging trend and have increased their efforts to engage across the social web. While bureaucracy may slow the pace of change, new leaders and a new media landscape have set the stage for social media to play a leading role in perception management.

Adm. Allen Leads the Social Web from the Front

Taking a shot out of the Apple advertising series, Adm Allen demonstrates the effect of the Social Web on US Coast Guard communications. In a well written and succinct article of Coast Guard Magazine (Issue 4, 2008 Community), PA2 Dan Bender outlines the reasoning behind the Coast Guard’s embrace of the Social Web. Every command should take a look at the US Coast Guard Social Web Primer – below is an excerpt:

“The Coast Guard already has official pages on MySpace, FaceBook, Flickr and YouTube. There’s also an extensive U.S. Coast Guard entry on Wikipedia that covers everything from history and missions to how we know Popeye was a Coastie. So when it comes to social media, the Coast Guard has already made the commitment to be there. This begs the question, why?

The answer is communication.

A third of the country reads blogs. More than a fourth of the country has a profile on
MySpace or FaceBook. With numbers like that it’s safe to say that social media is a good
way to reach out to the public.”

And communicate they do – Adm Allen has encouraged service members to blog, tweet, upload videos, share content and communicate their service to the nation across the Social Web.

Adm Allen has led the Coast Guard into the Social Web foray through personal example. In September of 2008 he published an informal yet effective video on Youtube laying out his “Social Media Initiative” – a bold move and perfect example of leadership from the front. He is adeptly commanding – encouraging and supporting all ranks to embrace the Social Web.

US Coast Guard staff have followed his lead, both at the tactical level with service members submitting original content from the front lines, as well as the operational level. The Coast Guard CIO recently published the US Coast Guard’s Strategic Plan for C4&IT (FY 20009 – 2013) which lays out a “Web 2.0 Strategy” that adeptly embraces the key concept of transparency, sharing and collaboration:

2.7.1 Web 2.0 Strategy
Develop a strategy that defines how the Coast Guard can use Web 2.0 technologies (e.g. social-networking sites, wikis, blogs, and podcasts) to improve the Coast Guard’s missions and operations; provide transparency to the public and interact with constituents; and enhance information sharing and collaboration within the Coast Guard and with partners (such as the Navy, Army, Air Force, and Border Patrol). (Primary POC: CG-63/OSC)

Major Milestones

• FY09 Q1: Determine elements and timeline of Web 2.0 to implement in CG Portal version 1 (See item 2.3.3 for CG Portal milestones.)
• FY09 Q2: Develop strategic plan to support the Commandant’s intent for Web 2.0 in coordination with Public Affairs

Key Performance Indicators
• Web 2.0 technologies identified and integrated with CG Portal

You can find Adm Allen online at the Commandant’s Corner (2.0) and read his regular posts at iCommandant The Web Journal of Admiral Thad Allen.You can even find him online via the Adm Thad Allen Facebook Page.

On Twitter, the Coast Guard has witnessed dozens of official and unofficial twitter accounts emerge. A full list is available at Who Uses Twitter in the Coast Guard, but the more notable users are USCG: an unofficial Twitter account for the United States Coast Guard;  CGBlog: The official twitter account for CGBlog.org; and U.S. Coast Guard: Official Twitter account for the United States Coast Guard. Adm Allen’s “tech celebrity status” has even spawned a FakeThadAllen account. With a mix of official and unofficial tweets out there, the Coast Guard reaches a large and diverse audience.

The US Coast Guard Facebook Page is well done with consistent updates and integration with their Youtube and Flickr streams. With 2,822 followers to date, they have attracted a small, but more importantly, passionate group of fans who promote their message. You can also find the US Coast Guard on Flickr at the US Coast Guard Flickr Page an for videos visit the US Coast Guard Youtube Channel which shows breaking videos of dramatic rescues, law enforcement action and more.

In Admiral Allen’s leadership by example we’ve witnessed an explosion of Coast Guard engagement across the Social Web. And this is a lesson for all military and national security organizations. Leaders at the top of the enterprise must embrace the Social Web through personal example. Setting an agenda and directing the organization to embrace the web is not enough. Adm Allen has stepped up to the front line with podcasts, a personal blog, a facebook account and more. He has reduced professional risk across the enterprise, demonstrating through personal example what he expects. If you view his Youtube message on Social Media you’ll find a message that is somewhat rough – the message is great – but the delivery and format is personal and uncut. And it’s perfect – Adm Allen’s example is encouraging all ranks to get out there and embrace the Social Web – acknowledging that their videos, content and message should be authentic. I expect we’ll see even greater social web innovation emerge from the US Coast Guard under his personal leadership.