Fwd: WhatsApp diplomacy is taking off as messaging app becomes vital tool for tactics, huddles, policy talk

["Dave Farber" <dave () farber net>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: *Brian Randell* <brian.randell () newcastle ac uk>
Date: Saturday, November 5, 2016
Subject: WhatsApp diplomacy is taking off as messaging app becomes vital
tool for tactics, huddles, policy talk
To: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>i
Cc: Brian Randell <brian.randell () newcastle ac uk>


Hi Dave:

For IP if you wish.

From The Guardian, 5 Nov 2016

> Why do diplomats use this alien WhatsApp emoji for Vladimir Putin?
>
> WhatsApp diplomacy is taking off as messaging app becomes vital tool for
tactics, huddles, policy talk - and banter
>

> When the world’s nations sit down to talk nowadays, there is a distinct
difference to the way diplomacy is done. Influence is no longer defined
only by special relationships and old alliances, but which WhatsApp group
you are invited into.
> The rise of WhatsApp diplomacy is transforming the negotiating chamber.
There are countless groups of allies and virtual huddles, exchanges over
policy statements and fine print, and fair amounts of banter and even
emojis (Vladimir Putin is referred to by widespread use of a grey alien
avatar).
> “You can form small groups of like-minded allies, take photos of
annotated documents, ask people what they think without the whole room
knowing,” a senior western diplomat said.
> The tool is useful for communicating with allies who might not be sitting
close to them, diplomats say, as well as for agreeing negotiating tactics
during difficult sessions and for organising break-out huddles in a way
that avoids offending those left out.
> One notable recent example of WhatsApp summitry occurred at last month’s
breakthrough talks in Kigali, Rwanda, about banning HFCs. At these talks
the instant messaging tool owned by Facebook was used widely to coordinate
meetings, discuss strategy during talks and drum up support for different
policy positions, said a consultant who was present.
> The adviser said the kinds of exchanges included: “Let’s meet outside to
talk about x,” or “Make sure you interrupt now,” or “Speak at the plenary
in support of x.”
> “You might have a country making a proposition and then there’ll be
another opposing proposition, so you’d line up your allies on WhatsApp to
say ‘make sure you express your view’ so there’s a lot of support. And if
there are a lot of voices in favour of a proposition it can get through.”
> The consultant first started seeing WhatsApp used at high-level
diplomatic events two years ago but said that recently she has seen more
diplomats and lobbyists using it, because of the availability of Wi-Fi and
the app’s convenience.
> “You don’t have to leave the room to have a chat ‘outside’,” the
consultant said. “It allows some discretion if you don’t have to be seen
grouping in a corner.”
> Used by a billion people worldwide, WhatsApp is tailor-made for modern
diplomacy. It is as fast and intuitive as texting while the group feature,
by which several users can share messages, allows for the formation of
fluid informal alliances. And it is secure, with end-to-end encryption
since April this year.
> “You can send a more secure message through WhatsApp now than most
government information systems,” said Jon Alterman, a former state
department policy planning staff official now senior vice-president at the
Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
> WhatsApp use has flourished particularly in multilateral institutions
such as the UN and at EU headquarters, where there are large numbers of
diplomats needing to communicate rapidly and secretly. Furthermore a lot of
business in these international settings is done inside large buildings
with deep basements where there is no mobile phone reception but strong
Wi-Fi signals, favouring WhatsApp over texting.
> An internal report at the UK’s Foreign Office this year found that rather
than make use of specially tailored government encryption, many British
diplomats use WhatsApp to discuss sensitive issues.
> There is a WhatsApp group for British diplomats working around the world
on Syria issues, for example.
> “Even 10 years ago the standard form of diplomatic lobbying would often
start with a note verbale, a heavily scripted and formulaic diplomatic
message sent from an embassy to a foreign ministry,” said the report’s
author, Tom Fletcher, a former British ambassador to Lebanon.



<snip>

Full story at https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/nov/04/why-do-
diplomats-use-this-alien-whatsapp-emoji-for-vladimir-putin

—

School of Computing Science, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1
7RU
EMAIL = Brian.Randell () ncl ac uk <javascript:;>   PHONE = +44 191 208 7923
URL = http://www.ncl.ac.uk/computing/people/profile/brianrandell.html



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