Cyber Diplomacy Influence on Viewpoint of Iranian Users of Cyberspace (Case Study: USA Dar Farsi Facebook Webpage)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Seyyed Rouhollah Hadj Zargarbashi
Ehsan Movahhedian
PHD of International Relations at Allameh Tabataba'i University
10.22054/nms.2018.34886.569
Abstract
The subject of this article is “U.S Cyber Diplomacy Influence on Viewpoint of Iranian Users of Cyberspace(Case Study: USA Dar Farsi Facebook Webpage)”. Nowadays, using Internet and social networks to advance foreign policy goals and national interests, has become one of the most important issues. From 40’s and during World War II, U.S government tried to implement various cultural programs, stuent exchange programs, and use publications, the media and movies to convince residents of different countries about its foreign policy goals, and it became known as public diplomacy. Considering Iran’s high stance in U.S foreign policy, United States Department of State implemented various cyber diplomacy projects to influence Iranians public opinion that include launching USA Dar Farsi Facebook Webpage. In this thesis, the Author tried to answer one key question concerning this important strategy within US foreign policy system: What is the Influence of USA Dar Farsi Facebook Webpage, as a tool of U.S Cyber Diplomacy, on Viewpoint of Iranian Users of Cyberspace? For this purpose, qualitative content analysis of USA Dar Farsi Facebook Webpage and sending questionnaires to its users and other Iranian users of Internet has been used. The hypothesis is that, comparing to Iranian Internet users who do not read USA Dar Farsi Facebook Webpage content, the USA Dar Farsi Facebook Webpage users are more influenced by cyber diplomacy content and messages and this leads to negative attitude towards Iranian society.
Keywords
Public diplomacy
Cyber diplomacy
US
Internet
USA Dar Farsi
Facebook
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New Media Studies
Volume 4, Issue 15
Autumn 2018
Pages 73-112