Westcott N. Digital Diplomacy: The Impact of the Internet on International Relations

International relations have always been profoundly affected by technology. The Internet—20 years young—is having just such a profound impact. It constitutes, along with the IT systems it connects, a quantum leap in people’s ability to communicate both one-to-one and one-to-many. Just as ocean-going sailing ships enabled the expansion of Europe in the 16th-18th centuries, the telegraph underpinned the empires of the 19th century, and the aeroplane, radio and TV have transformed international relations in the 20th century, the Internet creates a new set of opportunities and risks for the world. The main difference is that the changes will happen faster