1. Digital Defence Diplomacy
Engaging in Online Environments
Major Mick Cook
@Mick_Cook

2. What is Digital Defence Diplomacy?
Defining the Digital Environment
Messages, Audiences, and Platforms
The Digital Engagement Process
Digital Defence Diplomacy in action
Learning through Digital Engagement
Examples of Digital Engagement
Challenges, Risks, and Opportunities
Moving forward

3. What is Digital Defence Diplomacy?
Defence Diplomacy through digital media and technology
A way of reinforcing relationships between Defence communities
A way of establishing new networks between Defence communities
A way to communicate to a broad audience on organisation objectives
A way to promote Defence cooperation and regional stability

4. Comparative to physical environments
Defining the Digital Environment
Connected
Complex
Communication based
Comparative to physical environments
Content driven
Connected
Globalisation in the digital environment, the impact of geographic barriers is reduced
Complex
The interactions between the users, networks, and platforms is is based upon interation with content and other users, and creates a vast amount of data that can be a help or a hinderance in understanding message penetration
Communication based
The online environment exists to trade information in some form or another for a beneficial outcome for at least one party
Comparative to physical environments
Similar to Sea lines of communication, or lines of communication on the land, Digital Lines of communication follow predictable digital routes based upon the user’s interests and behaviours.
Discuss the diagram
Content driven
Requires Creativiy
Diagram – 725 different Facebook pages connected through 1318 separate users – all focusing on Military Education
Fig.1: Interaction between Professional Military Education focused Facebook pages and their users.

5. Audience Messages Platforms
Audiences, Messages, and Platforms
Public, including media
Defence community
Policymakers
Academics
Audience
Public relations
Public notices
Capability Demonstrations
Educational material
Messages
Social Media
Mobile Apps
Broadcast Media
Websites
Platforms
Audience – Audiences are varied but with digital technology it is difficult to limit one message to one audience. Four audiences relevant to digital defence diplomacy
Public
A nation’s own public or that of its neighbours. Includes the Media
Defence community
Members of one’ own
Policymakers
Interraction with policymakers and defence personnel in online environments can increase understanding of one another’s role within the defence community and lead to more robust defence policy decisions
Academics
Academics are quite active in online environments particularly historians and social scientists. Interaction with the Defence community in online environments gives them access to research subjects and material
Messages
Public relations
Advertisements about defence organisations, recruitment campaigns, etc
Public notices
Notifications of major activities that may disrupt the routine of a community for a limited period of time
Capability Demonstrations
Showcasing activities, particularly those with regional partners, on the capabilities of Defence organisations
Educational material
Increasing the delivery of education through the producation of digital media and interractive technologies to encourage professional development of Defence members
Platforms
Social Media
Twitter, Facebook, etc have become a part of the lives of a large perecntage of the population, the Defence communities need to understand this platform because it is part of the key digital terrain
Mobile Apps
Providing enhanced capability in communicating across Defence communities on applications such as Whatsapp, as well as providing educational and operational capability through specific applications designed to support the military
Broadcast Media
The production of digital video and audio to be broadcast on more traditional mediums such as radio and television can inform a wider audience about the interaction between Defence communities as well as with the public
Websites
The internet is still the most used digital platform and facilitates many of the other platforms such as social media, broadcast media and mobile apps. Websites are still highly traffic areas and can be used to create an online environment where Defence communities can interact with each other as well as the public

6. Understand the message Understand the audience
The Digital Engagement Process
Understand the message
Understand the audience
Choose a relevant platform
Develop suitable content
Deliver the message
Engage with the audience
Understand the message that you need/want to convey as part of your defence diplomacy
Understand the audience by assessing how they can best receive and process the message in the way that is beneficial to your purpose
Choose a relevant platform that is used by your audience and is suitable to deliver your message in the way you intend it to be received
Develop content that is suitable for delivery on your chosen platform, represents your messaging aims, and, most importantly, will be received and interacted with by your audience.
Deliver the message to the audience via the platform you have chosen.
Engage with the audience. Digital Defence Diplomacy, much like normal Diplomacy and Defence Diplomacy, should be about dialogue. Most platforms allow for a deeper level of engagement with platforms, whether is is commenting on a Facebook posted, retweeting on Twitter, or engaging in an online forum. This is a key way to assess whether your message has achieved penetration and will meet your messaging objectives

7. Official Formal Informal Social media Account Types Official Formal
Digital Diplomacy in Action
Official
Formal
Social media Account Types
Official
Accounts managed by the organisation for public affairs and engagement purposes
Formal
Accounts managed by personnel within the organisation for professional public affairs and engagement purposes
Informal
Accounts managed by individuals with a professional and personal interest in online engagement on defence issues
Informal

8. Digital Diplomacy in Action - Twitter
Interaction between users based on topics , represented through the hashtags
Data from 7 days in January, representing 632 original tweets – the majority of these were not from the Australian Army Twitter account – in fact, only 5 tweets from this data set are from the Australian Army account. The remaining 627 are from other users engaging with the Australian Army account.
582 separate accounts creating 2234 interactions in the digital environment.
Fig.2: Interaction between the Australian Army Twitter account and online publics.

9. Official Formal Informal Learning through Digital Engagement Official
Platforms managed by the organisation for internal educational and broad public communication purposes
Formal
Platforms linked to, or managed, by personnel within the organisation for educational purposes
Informal
Platforms managed by individuals with a professional and personal interest in professional military education
Informal

10. Training and Doctrine Podcast
Examples of Digital Engagement
Training and Doctrine Podcast
The Cove:
Webinars
Training and Doctrine Podcast
Designed as a public affairs product to showcase Exercise Hamel 2016
Gained a loyal following quickly and generated interest in other Army activities
Lead to decentralised content development guide and production
The Cove: Webinars
Designed as a way to deliver video content of educational value to an internal audience
Became a popular professional military education activity across the Australian Army and wider audience
Currently used as a way for senior leaders to communicate with the internal and external audience about their vision for the organisation

11. Challenges Risks Opportunities Challenges, Risks, and Opportunities
Audience Retention
Policy
Culture Shifts
Rapid Change
Echo Chambers
Training
Risks
Security
Lack of Interest
Poor Behaviour
Mixed Messages
Opportunities
Promote positive interaction
Maintain key relationships
Strengthen cooperation
Challenges
Audience Retention
Policy
Culture Shifts
Rapid Change
Eco Chambers
Training
Risks
Security
Lack of Interest
Poor Behaviour
Mixed Messages
Opportunities
Promote positive interaction
Maintain key relationships

12. Adapt to the digital environment
Moving forward
Adapt to the digital environment
Engage
with key audiences
Strengthen Defence relationships
Adapt to the digital environment
Engage with key audiences
Strengthen Defence Relationships

13. Questions
Major Mick Cook
@Mick_Cook