Section 501 of the U.S. Information and Educational Exchange Act of1948 (Smith-Mundt Act) prohibits domestic dissemination ofinformation designed for foreign consumption, ostensibly to ban"domestic propaganda." In the war on terrorism, this amounts toself-sabotage. Until Congress relegates this piece of legislationto the dustbin of history, the U.S. cannot expect to conduct publicdiplomacy effectively.
To reverse America's declining image abroad, both public diplomacyand related international broadcasting agencies need a clear chainof command as well as adequate personnel and financial resources.
Can Facebook and Twitter change the world? Can all the nifty new social-networking sites promote democracy and a better understanding of American values around the world? The potential is certainly there as was seen in the invaluable Twitter updates during the post-election protests in Iran. The U.S. government is embracing Web 2.0 for an ambitious strategy of reaching previously untapped populations around the world call it Public Diplomacy 2.0. While the potential progress is undeniable, so is the potential danger.