[Webinar] Diplomacy and information gathering in the ‘post-Snowden’ era

[Update] Here you can read a digest, or you can watch the recording of the webinar:

The webinar discussed the use of search engines, Wikipedia, and the blogosphere in diplomatic information gathering. It also reflected on the opportunities offered by combining access to open data with advanced data-mining techniques. 

Webinar Announcement

Information gathering has been a core diplomatic activity throughout history. While in the past the main challenge was to gather information, today, the main challenge is to manage, validate, and analyse that information. The abundance of information in the digital era is as problematic as scarcity once was: important information can be lost in the sheer quantity of what is available. Fast and precise access to necessary information is conditio sine qua non of the proper functioning of diplomatic services.

In the context of the Snowden revelations, the webinar will reflect on the difference between lawful and clandestine information gathering, as well as between diplomacy and intelligence. Diplomacy and intelligence are two closely related but separate functions of a state’s foreign affairs apparatus. The VCDR draws a clear dividing line between diplomatic and intelligence functions. Article 3(1) specifies that diplomats should acquire information by all lawful means. Inforrmation gathering by diplomats can be conducted in a confidential way, but it should not be clandestine (espionage) and illegal.

Please join us for our new advanced diplomatic webinar: ‘Diplomacy and information gathering in the ‘post-Snowden’ era‘ by Dr Jovan Kurbalija. Webinar will take place at Friday, 29 November 2013 at 14:00 GMT (15:00 CET)