THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL (SOCIAL) MEDIA ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS; AN APPRAISAL OF THE 2016 TURKISH COUP

Abstract

This dissertation will investigate the growing significance of social media, the Internet, and communications technologies more widely and their impact on both domestic and international politics. In doing so, this study will provide a conceptual overview to the topic the impact of digital social media on foreign affairs, and will briefly analyze the topical role of social media in the recent events of the Turkish coupe. Drawing upon a neo-liberal theoretical framework for analysis, this dissertation will illustrate social media’s emergence as a tool to harbor grassroots political movements, as well as a tool to help solve interstate, regional and global governance issues, and lastly, as a tool to disseminate states’ soft power.. It will then argue that social media, specifically three user based platforms, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, are contributing to the growing influence of soft power within international diplomacy, and are providing a platform for the growth of political activism and conflict resolution within International Relations.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the study

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. It is still early to identify the Internet’s impact on the relations between people across borders and between states. But it is necessary to try. Establishing a framework for analyzing the changes as business has done will help governments and other international actors take strategic decisions based on reality, rather than on an outdated view of how things happen. Prediction is a poor basis for strategic planning, but a more sophisticated risk analysis of how the Internet is changing international relations will help improve strategic decisions, and indicate how to engage better with international actors to achieve the desired ends. This attempt is no doubt what Sir Humphrey Appleby would define as “brave”, but it is a, start.

The attempted coup d’etat by a faction of Turkey’s armed forces on Friday failed for many reasons, including divisions among the military and repeated missteps by the plotters.

Social media and mobile communications also played an important role. And it wasn’t the first time this combination has enabled citizens to express their will and have a say in deciding who governs them and why. Judging from available information, the rebellious faction of mid-level army officers sought to implement the classic playbook for military takeovers what in the old days would have been labeled a “colonels’ coup,” as opposed to one led by generals. They closed key transportation routes, tried to secure both parliament and the presidential offices, and attempted to capture high-ranking officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and top military brass. They also took over state media outlets, and used state television to broadcast their message and prematurely declare victory

The instigators soon realized that this classic approach was not sufficient, and moved to take control of private television channels, even shutting down the Turkish affiliate of CNN, an event that was broadcast live around the world.

The objective was conventional: By denying citizens access to alternative sources of news, the rebels would be able to control the narrative, dictating the information that was going out and its interpretation. They would also use this control to energize their small group of collaborators and attempt to persuade others to join them, particularly other factions of the military.

But the putschists failed to sufficiently update the standard coup playbook to take into account the realities of social media and mobile technology. As a result, their attempt to control the information available to ordinary citizens was only partial and the military’s message was soon drowned out by domestic and international news outlets with much greater powers of amplification. Then, the advantage the military had initially gained through the element of surprise quickly eroded. Within hours of the beginning of the coup, Erdogan used the video capability on his mobile phone to communicate with the nation, urging Turks to take to the streets and stand up to the rebels. His message was amplified on social media channels, such as Facebook and Twitter, and supplemented by images of people standing in front of tanks and on top of them.  Social media also played a critical role in relaying in real time domestic and international support for the president and for Turkey’s democratically and legitimately elected government. These messages came from some of Erdogan’s internal political critics, too, who used Twitter to condemn the attempted coup, which they said wouldn’t bring the right kind of change. Foreign leaders, including President Barack Obama, echoed the support for Turkish democracy and for Erdogan.  The international and domestic engagement did more than simply feed the curiosity of ordinary Turkish citizens. It countered the certainty about the outcome that the small group of officers in control of state media and some key installations had tried to convey. It also undermined the coup plotters’ attempts to convey a state of siege. The flow of information encouraged, empowered and mobilized Turks to confront the rebels and their tanks.

The population went from being passive recipients to proactive participants in the country’s present and future. And by challenging the information being transmitted by the captured media sources, they prevented the small group of mid-level officers from turning pre-emptive claims of victory into reality.

1.2 Statement of the problem

The importance of digital social media in enhancing countries foreign affairs cannot be over emphasized in modern times as available literatures has shown the positive effect of digital social media. Social publishing tools consist of a unique communication medium framed in the construct of computer-mediated communication. They include consumer-generated content on sites such as YouTube and Twitter as well as the proliferation of personal and professional blogs. By their very nature, these tools are subject to a profound lack of traditional social context cues (Griffith, 2009), and increase the instances of anonymous activity However, the problem associated with the social media is lack of validity on the sources of information posted on these media platforms, as most of the information posted can be misleading or totally not true as the case may be.

• STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVE

The main objective of this study is to ascertain the impact of digital social media on foreign affairs. However, for the successful completion of the study, the researcher set out the following sub objectives:

1. To ascertain the relationship between social media and foreign affairs
2. To ascertain the impact of social media in relaying information domestically and internationally

• To evaluate the significance of social media in the 2016 Turkish attempted coup

1. To examine ways of enhancing more efficiency from the media
   • RESEARCH QUESTION

For the successful completion of the study, the following research question were formulated:

1. What is the relationship between social media and foreign affairs?
2. What is the impact of social media on relaying information globally?

• Of what significance was the social media in Turkish attempted coup?

1. What are the ways of attaining efficiency from the media?
   • RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

For the successful completion of the study, the following hypotheses were formulated

H₀: there is no significant relationship between social media and foreign affairs

H₁: there is significant relationship between social media and foreign affairs

H₀:  social media does not have any significant impact in relaying information domestically and internationally

H₁: social media has significant impact in relaying information domestically and internationally

• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings will be of importance to ministry of foreign affairs in managing information on their media page, the study will also be of great importance to media houses as the information on the social media can be harness and diffused to the general public once it is authenticated.

The study will also be of great importance to the ministry of information, to aid them in investigating any information on the media to enable them debunk rumour and authenticate the correct once. Finally the findings will be of great importance to all social media users by aiding them to explore more on the merit of digital social media.

• SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study covers the impact of digital social media on foreign affairs with emphasis on it role in the 2016 Turkish coup. However the researcher encounter some constrained which limited the scope of the study. Some of this limitations are:

1.8  DEFINITION OF TERMS

Social media

Social media are computer-mediated technologies that allow the creating and sharing of information, ideas, career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communities and networks. The variety of stand-alone and built-in social media services currently available introduces challenges of definition. However, there are some common features

Social Publishing Tools

Internet-based self-publishing platforms that enable all individuals to share and consume content free of editorial and other filters. Examples: Tumblr, YouTube, Blogger, Twitter and Digg.

Social Decision-Making Environment

The social media environment that a user encounters online. This environment is comprised of both a technology and a communication medium; that is, it is a mediated communication environmen

Reference

574. “Digital Diplomacy: The Internet, The Battle for Ideas & US Foreign Policy” CEU Political Science Journal, issue 4 (2010), pp 538-574. Herrera, G. L. “Technology and International Systems” Millennium – Journal of International Studies, vol. 23, issue 559 (2003), pp 559-593. Howard, P. N. “The Digital Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy. Information Technology and Political Islam” Oxford Studies in Digital Politics, (2011), pp 1-3. Kegley, C. W. Jr. ‘The Foundations of International Relations Theory and the Resurrection of the Realist-Liberal Debate’ in C. W. Jr. in Kegley (ed). Controversies in International Relations Theory: Realism and the Neoliberal Challenge, London: Macmillan, 1995, pp 25-34. Kegley, C. W. Jr. “The Neoliberal Challenge to realist theories of World Politics: an Introduction” in C. W. Jr. Kegley (ed.) Controversies in International Relations Theory: Realism and the Neoliberal Challenge, London: Macmillan, 1995 pp 6-17. Kegley, C. W. Jr. World Politics: trend and transformation, 12th ed. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2008. 76 Keohane, R.

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