[Senate Prints 112-26]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
112th Congress } { S. Prt.
1st Session } COMMITTEE PRINT { 112-26
_______________________________________________________________________
LATIN AMERICAN GOVERNMENTS
NEED TO ``FRIEND'' SOCIAL MEDIA
AND TECHNOLOGY
__________
A MINORITY STAFF REPORT
PREPARED FOR THE USE OF THE
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
UNITED STATES SENATE
One Hundred Twelfth Congress
First Session
October 5, 2011
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COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts, Chairman
BARBARA BOXER, California RICHARD G. LUGAR, Indiana
ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey BOB CORKER, Tennessee
BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho
ROBERT P. CASEY, Jr., Pennsylvania MARCO RUBIO, Florida
JIM WEBB, Virginia JAMES M. INHOFE, Oklahoma
JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire JIM DeMINT, South Carolina
CHRISTOPHER A. COONS, Delaware JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia
RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming
TOM UDALL, New Mexico MIKE LEE, Utah
William Danvers, Staff Director
Kenneth A. Myers, Jr., Republican Staff Director
(ii)
C O N T E N T S
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Page
Letter of Transmittal............................................ v
What is Social Media?............................................ 1
Why Should the U.S. Government Care About Access to the Internet
and the Growth of Social Media in Latin America?............... 2
Latin America Market Observations............................ 5
Country Case Study Observations.............................. 6
Brazil................................................... 7
Colombia................................................. 7
Mexico................................................... 8
The Role the U.S. Plays in the Expansion of Social Media in
Latin America.................................................. 9
Foreign Engagement of U.S. Foreign Policy...................... 9
Strengthening Society by Strengthening Communities........... 10
Communications and Technological Skills Enhancement.......... 11
Infrastructure Capability and Utilization Improvement........ 11
Critical Risk Minimization................................... 12
Recommendations: How the U.S. Can Further Expand Social Media in
Latin America.................................................. 12
Implement Technological Training Programs.................... 13
Establish Basic Information Technology Literacy Outreach..... 13
Provide Support for Local Technological Development to Create
Language Resources......................................... 14
Generate Low-Requirement Infrastructure...................... 14
Assess Critical Risks........................................ 15
Conclusion..................................................... 16
Appendix I..................................................... 19
(iii)
?
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
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United States Senate,
Committee on Foreign Relations,
Washington, DC, October 5, 2011.
Dear Colleagues:
I directed my senior Senate Foreign Relations Committee
staffer for Latin America and the Carribean, Carl Meacham, to
assess the U.S. Department of State's efforts to promote and
strengthen democracy in Latin America through the increased use
of social media and technology.
In 2011, social media usage is booming and will likely
continue to do so in the coming years. Earlier this month, it
was reported that Facebook now has more than 800 million active
users worldwide. Likewise, Twitter reports that it has 100
million active users, which marks an 82% increase in activity
from 2010. With more than 50% of the world's population under
30 years of age, the social media and technology resources that
are so popular within this demographic will continue to
revolutionize communications in the future. These technologies
can affect political change, improve government efficiency, and
contribute to economic growth.
Through the wave of demonstrations occurring in the Arab
world that began in December 2010, known as the Arab Spring,
the world witnessed how regular citizens can use social media
and information platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Google to
mobilize against repressive governments.
Despite Latin America's broad social and economic progress,
many countries in the region still face challenges to democracy
similar to those recently seen in the Middle East. In the
extreme cases, countries like Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua
are led by authoritarian leaders who curtail civil and
political freedoms. But, in general, the region's governments
still have much work to do to ensure the rule of law, to
maintain the security of their citizens, and to address a
myriad of other social challenges.
Though many Latin American governments still face these
problems, Latin America does have the advantage of more mobile
phone subscriptions, Internet users, broadband access, and
secure Internet servers than the Middle East.
Opportunities abound in the region to make government more
effective in the provision of services to regular citizens
through social media and information platforms. The United
States, in particular, has a vested interest in Latin America's
development for many reasons. These include Latin America's
status as one of the United States' fastest growing export
markets. Additionally, stronger, more stable democracies and
economies in Latin America generally reduce illegal immigration
to the United States.
(v)
Unfortunately, Latin American governments have been slow to
adopt social media and technology. While the Government of
Chile is one of the few governments in Latin America to provide
services online, only Colombia has an established budget for
increasing technological connectivity and social media use.
Social media and technology initiatives in Latin America
based on political, economic, and social realities will be
crucial to the success of associated U.S. government efforts in
the region. Mr. Meacham's report provides significant insight
and important recommendations for the U.S. Department of
State's efforts to promote the effective use of social media,
to strengthen democracy where it has taken root, and to promote
democracy in countries where it is eroding or does not exist. I
hope that you find the report helpful. I look forward to
working with you on these issues and welcome any comments you
may have.
Sincerely,
Richard G. Lugar,
Ranking Member.
LATIN AMERICAN GOVERNMENTS NEED TO ``FRIEND'' SOCIAL MEDIA AND
TECHNOLOGY
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The social networking phenomenon and the expansion of
lightning fast information technology shrink the world
in wonderfully transformative ways that we have not yet
fully comprehended.--Senator Richard G. Lugar,
Commencement Address at Franklin & Marshall College,
May 14, 2011
At the request of Senator Richard Lugar, the committee
ranking member, Senate Foreign Relations Committee minority
senior staff member for Latin America and the Carribean, Carl
Meacham, met with U.S. Department of State staff, senior
foreign diplomats, and industry officials over the course of
several months to research how social media and technology
could be used to promote and strengthen democracy in Latin
America (see Appendix I for complete list of meetings).
What is Social Media?
Social media are Internet-based media used for social
interaction in a variety of forms including social networking,
content sharing, and blogging. Major advances were made in the
development of social media in the early 2000s. While social
media have existed since the late 1990s, early sites did not
amass large groups of users because most people did not have
large extended online networks of friends at that time and many
users found the functionality of these sites limited. More
specifically, these media took off with the rapid growth of
MySpace, whose popularity largely went unchallenged until the
creation of a Harvard College-based social network site called
Facebook by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004. As of September 2011,
Facebook had over 800 million users worldwide.\1\ Other
examples of popular social media sites include YouTube and
Twitter. YouTube filled a vacuum by letting users easily upload
videos to share worldwide, and in November 2006, Google
purchased YouTube for $1.65 billion, and now offers it as a
Google product.\2\ Similarly, Twitter, a micro-blogging site
founded in July 2006, has approximately 200 million users today
who share 350 million tweets, or messages of 140 characters or
less, per day in addition to photos and additional web
links.\3\
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\1\ Adam Ostrow, ``Facebook now has 800 million users,'' Mashable,
22 September 2011,
http://mashable.com/2011/09/22/facebook-800-million-users/.
\2\ Ben Charny, ``Google to acquire YouTube for $1.65 billion in
stock,'' Market Watch, 9 October 2006, http://www.marketwatch.com/
story/google-to-acquire-youtube-for-165-billion-in-stock.
\3\ Charlie White, ``Reaching 200 Million Accounts: Twitter's
Explosive Growth,'' Mashable, 16 July 2011, http://mashable.com/2011/
07/16/twitter-accounts-200-million/.
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Why Should the U.S. Government Care About Access to the Internet and
the Growth of Social Media in Latin America?
At a time when U.S. political influence is waning in the
region, it is clear that U.S.-driven technological trends could
redefine relationships with many countries in Latin America.
Here is why:
Promoting Internet freedom is aligned with the U.S.
strategic goal of strengthening civil society
worldwide. This is consistent with core American
beliefs regarding freedom of expression and
unencumbered access to information.
Greater Internet connectivity opens new opportunities for
the United States and for countries in Latin America.
Latin American countries are among the fastest growing
export markets for the United States. The growth of
this market provides the opportunity for innovation and
commercial gains for United States technological
industry and for Latin American entrepreneurs.
Greater Internet connectivity and the use of social media
platforms allow individuals in Latin America to
establish links or ``connect'' with individuals in the
United States and individuals in countries around the
world in all spheres of life--culture, politics,
business, and academia. (This is especially important
for the development of rural or agriculturally-based
communities in Latin American countries. With increased
access to information, contacts, and markets through
new technologies, these communities are more likely to
get better market price information, boost their
income, and improve their standard of living).
Social media can strengthen civil society and the public
sphere in Latin American countries. These technologies
can allow for individuals to engage more effectively in
the formation and function of their own societies.
Social media can strengthen the ability of governments to
be more responsive to their citizens. Through social
media, governments can provide services to their
constituents and communicate directly with them. The
use of this tool can improve government effectiveness,
make for fulfilled citizens in Latin American
countries, and help bolster stable democracies in the
entire region.
Latin America represents a unique case in today's global
environment because it is a region containing diverse countries
that share significant untapped potential for social progress
driven by improved public dialogue. In particular, the
characteristics of Latin American social media use and
engagement of connectivity resources delineated below indicate
that this area could be primed for substantial positive change
in a manner similar in nature, if not in process, to that
recently observed in the Middle East.
Latin America possesses the potential to overstep North
America's lead in social media use in part due to the
proliferation of Internet accessible mobile devices in
the region.
With regard to social networking, 82% of Latin Americans
with Internet access use social networks, making Latin
Americans the second most active social networking
population behind North America.
According to Debbie Frost, Director of International
Communications and Public Policy at Facebook, Facebook
has over 100 million users in Latin America, and the
top five countries in terms of number of users include
Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and Venezuela.\4\
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\4\ Interview with Debbie Frost, Director of International
Communications and Public Policy at Facebook, 30 August 2011.
Currently, Brazil's Facebook user base is approaching 25
million users, and in 2010, Brazil's Facebook user base
doubled every six months. To reflect Brazil's rapid
growth in users, Facebook recently opened an
advertising sales office in Sao Paulo, Brazil.\5\
Orkut, a Google social networking site that never
gained popularity in the United States, is currently
one of the most popular sites in Brazil with an
estimated 46 million users.\6\
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\5\ Ibid.
\6\ Kenneth Rapoza, ``Brazil Keeps Google's Orkut Relevant, Tops
Facebook,'' Forbes, 6 April 2011,
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2011/04/06/brazil-keeps-
googles-orkut-relevant-tops-facebook/.
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With a mobile penetration rate of over 90% and low fixed
broadband Internet capacity, Latin America is poised to
benefit from cheaper mobile Internet and data
packages.\7\ The plot below illustrates a country by
country breakdown of Latin American mobile
subscriptions.\8\
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\7\ ``World Development Indicators Databank,'' World Bank Data
Catalog, The World Bank 2010, http://data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/
world-development-indicators.
\8\ Ibid.
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Note: The United States has 97 mobile subscriptions per 100
persons.\9\
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\9\ Ibid.
The low network connectivity requirements in Latin America
make social media like Twitter extremely accessible in
areas of high mobile penetration. Users can text their
tweets using short message service (SMS), which vastly
widens the scope of users reached. Hence, sharing news
or organizing groups using Twitter becomes relatively
easy if one has access to a phone with SMS
capabilities.
As millions of Latin Americans access the Internet via
mobile phones, Latin America will become an even larger
consumer of data and a more substantial participant in
social networking communities. According to industry
experts interviewed for this report, approximately 215
million Latin Americans, or 36% of the regional
population, are able to access Internet by any
means.\10\ The plot below illustrates a country by
country breakdown of Latin American broadband
subscriptions.\11\
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\10\ These figures represent approximated numbers for 2011 provided
by industry experts.
\11\ ``World Development Indicators Databank,'' World Bank Data
Catalog, The World Bank 2010, http://data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/
world-development-indicators. No data was available for Haiti or
Honduras
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Note: The United States has 28 broadband subscriptions per 100
persons.\12\
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\12\ Ibid.
Broadband Internet access penetration amongst Latin
American countries could exceed 30% by 2014.
A major component of the success of social media in Latin
America lies in the existence of connectivity resources
(i.e. SMS, smartphone), and the primary issue with
technological connectivity in Latin America is a dearth
of adequate infrastructure. The plot below illustrates
a country-by-country breakdown of Latin American
Internet bandwidth.\13\
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\13\ Ibid. No data was available for Guatemala, Haiti, Nicaragua,
Panama, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, or Argentina.
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Note: No bandwidth information for the United States was
available.\14\
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\14\ ``World Development Indicators Databank,'' World Bank Data
Catalog, The World Bank 2010, http://data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/
world-development-indicators.
Global data indicate that as access to information and
communications technology increases, the user base
generally increases as well. Yet at this time, access
to secure Internet servers and fixed broadband
connections in Latin America is lacking.\15\ The plot
below illustrates a country-by-country breakdown of
Latin American secure servers.\16\ It is thus
distinctly possible that even moderately improving
Latin American connectivity infrastructure could
significantly increase the regional user base.
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\15\ Ibid.
\16\ Ibid.
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Note: The United States has 1,446 secure servers per 1 million
people.\17\
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\17\ Ibid.
LATIN AMERICA MARKET OBSERVATIONS
The data presented above, which was obtained from the World
Bank for the years 2008-2009, indicates a number of interesting
realities and trends.\18\ First, note that the mobile
subscription per 100 persons metric is over 100 for a large
proportion of these countries including Panama, Argentina,
Honduras, and Uruguay, which means that there is on average
more than one mobile subscription per person. Such data would
seem to imply that mobile or SMS-based connectivity initiatives
could have particularly large effects in the Latin American
region and in these countries in particular.
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\18\ ``World Development Indicators Databank,'' World Bank Data
Catalog, The World Bank 2010, http://data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/
world-development-indicators.
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Interestingly, the broadband subscription numbers shown
above are relatively low compared to the mobile subscription
metrics, indicating that mobile initiatives may be particularly
important in this region. The broadband data presented here
would also imply that initiatives aimed at broadband Internet
users should primarily be targeted at countries such as Mexico,
Chile, and Argentina, which enjoy relatively high levels of
broadband usage.
Moreover, while it is clear that countries such as Costa
Rica, Colombia, Brazil, and Trinidad enjoy particularly high
levels of per capita bandwidth in contrast to Mexico and
Salvador, for example, the most important feature of this graph
is the large number of countries for which data was
unavailable. In order to make substantial policy decisions
about how to engage particular countries with effective
connectivity-based programs, more data on bandwidth in
countries such as those on this graph that lack data
(Argentina, Chile, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua,
Panama, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela) will be critically
important.
Finally, it is important to note that the absolute number
of secure servers is a useful metric, but the real measurement
of how good connectivity is on average is how many servers
currently provide Internet to groups of a given size. Clearly,
countries like Haiti, Honduras, and Nicaragua, which do not
have a great deal of servers, would appear to be prime targets
for infrastructure improvement and utilization initiatives.
Countries like Panama, Costa Rica, Chile, Uruguay, and Brazil,
on the other hand, appear to be doing significantly better than
the rest of their region in this area and would thus be able to
engage connectivity initiatives with higher resource
requirements.
In the end, the data shows that social media and
connectivity initiatives should be catered to the particular
circumstances of a particular country. Mexico, for instance,
appears to have high broadband subscription numbers but
relatively low bandwidth. In such a case, a package of programs
that include the utilization low-requirement online resources
as well as the improvement of existing bandwidth levels would
seem to be ideal. In Panama, however, the extraordinary number
of mobile phone subscriptions would make connectivity
initiatives based off improving mobile broadband infrastructure
and providing SMS-based services more effective. It will be
imperative for such data to be fully considered as the
Department of State decides where and how to implement
connectivity and social media programs in this region.
COUNTRY CASE STUDY OBSERVATIONS
Given the growing importance of social media with regard to
strengthening the ability of governments to more effectively
communicate with and serve their constituents as well as with
respect to enabling citizens to express political opinions, to
share information, and to mobilize demonstrations, it becomes
essential that Latin American governments have a clear presence
in these areas.
To properly assess social media initiatives currently
implemented in Latin American countries, staff contacted the
embassies of Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico to gather more
information about their initiatives. These countries were
chosen due to the fact that they have the highest Internet
connectivity, the likelihood of their governments to use social
media to engage with citizens, and the defining role these
countries play in influencing the political attitudes of the
region.
After analyzing data on Internet and mobile phone
subscriptions per 100 people, total Internet and mobile phone
usage data, population statistics, information and
communication technology development indices, and social media
proliferation metrics, staff determined that Brazil, Colombia,
and Mexico represent leading technological markets in Latin
America. However, with the exception of Colombia, attempts by
their governments to expand Internet connectivity remain
modest.
From discussions with these embassies, staff identified two
general points:
1. The interviewed governments understand the power of the
Internet and social media for communication and public
dialogue, and they are--to varying degrees--engaging
citizens through these media. Although these countries
have announced limited initiatives to promote computer
literacy, none has implemented specific financial
commitments to educate citizens about services provided
by the government through social media.
2. Only one of the officials interviewed for this report,
Colombia, mentioned state policies to expand
connectivity in these specific countries.
BRAZIL
With approximately 76 million Internet users, Brazil has
one of the highest numbers of Internet users in the region, and
approximately 40% of all Brazilians have regular Internet
access.\19\ Given the large quantity of Brazilian Internet
users, staff believes that Brazil should prioritize its social
media policy. Indeed, the Brazilian President, Ministry of
Foreign Relations, Defense Ministry, Health Ministry, and other
federal institutions have Twitter accounts where information
regarding services, press releases, speeches, and public
engagements can be found. Yet, having a social media account is
not the same as maximizing one's online influence. Like the
other countries in this study, Brazil needs funded computer
literacy and social media programs, improved broadband and
mobile Internet access, and more forums for the public to
express opinions and provide feedback on government services
through the Internet. Brazilian officials were unable to
provide social media and technology budget figures when
requested by staff.
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\19\ ``World Development Indicators Databank,'' World Bank Data
Catalog, The World Bank 2010, http://data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/
world-development-indicators.
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COLOMBIA
Colombia has recently experienced rapid growth in Internet
access, reaching a penetration level of 47 percent.\20\ Indeed,
over the last five years, access grew 354.3% in Colombia.\21\
Unlike the other countries consulted in this study, Colombia
offers digital literacy programs including national and
regional modules that explain how to use social media and
technology. Staff believes that these programs are important
because they educate the public on how to use these platforms,
which amplifies the effects of the government's social media
outreach. According to Alfonso Cuellar, Senior Advisor to the
Colombian Ambassador in Washington, Colombia's Vive Digital
program, designed to promote Internet use in Colombia, has a
2011 budget of $800 million (USD) divided between operational
costs and investment.\22\ The $532 million (USD) dedicated to
investment aims to bolster infrastructure and to provide
information technology literacy programs to the public,
especially low income citizens.\23\ The government of Colombia
has demonstrated its dedication to providing more Internet
access to its citizens and equipping them with the skills
necessary to participate in online forums.
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\20\ ``Latin America Advisor,'' Inter-American Dialogue, 22
September 2011.
\21\ Ibid.
\22\ Interview with Alfonso Cuellar, Senior Advisor to the
Colombian Ambassador in Washington, 28 July 2011.
\23\ Ibid.
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This technology is also used by all three branches of
Colombia's government and civil society. The first significant
example of social media's growing political role in Latin
America occurred in February 2008 when a Facebook group called
``One Million Voices Against FARC'' organized the National
March against FARC. Approximately ten million people marched in
protest against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
(FARC) in hundreds of Colombian cities.\24\ The Facebook group
was created by a Colombian citizen named Oscar Morales to
express his anger toward FARC's tyranny. Morales described how
``Facebook was our headquarters. It was the newspaper. It was
the central command. It was the laboratory--everything.
Facebook was all that, right up until the last day.'' \25\
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\24\ David Kirkpatrick, The Facebook Effect, (New York: Simon and
Schuster, 2010): 1-8.
\25\ Ibid., 5.
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MEXICO
Mexico boasts the position as the first country to have a
president and full cabinet with official Twitter accounts.
Mexican officials characterize interactive dialogue with
politicians as limited at this time, but most officials,
including the president, respond to questions and criticism
from citizens on their Twitter accounts. Citing Mexico's
National Statistics Institute (INEGI), Ricardo Alday,
Communications Director and Spokesman for the Embassy of
Mexico, described how 30% of Mexicans had permanent access to
the Internet as of December 2010, and, as a result of the
rapidly expanding Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)
market, that the Mexican mobile industry has an annual growth
rate of 22% with approximately 43% mobile penetration.\26\
Mobile growth rates illustrate the growing number of
individuals that have the ability to access the Internet
through a mobile device. Alday agreed that ``as the number of
users of social media increase and as the novelty becomes the
norm, the possibilities to influence political discourse and
policy in the future are there.'' It is therefore likely that
social media and technology will play an increasing role in
this country's political conversations in the coming years.
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\26\ Interview with Ricardo Alday, Communications Director and
Spokesman for the Embassy of Mexico, 26 July 2011.
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However, no specific, funded initiatives to educate
citizens about the government's services through social media
currently exist, though the government and private sector have
been discussing the development of future programs. Mexico
recognizes the growing importance of using social media both to
increase government transparency and accountability as well as
to allow citizens to communicate directly with the government
to share ideas or criticisms.
The Role the U.S. Plays in the Expansion of Social
Media in Latin America
The U.S. Department of State's core policy towards
connectivity resources in Latin America underscores how the
U.S. should work through a variety of channels, such as
industry partnerships and non-governmental organization (NGO)
engagement, to improve access to Internet and
telecommunications infrastructure in the region. It is hoped
that the advent of such increased connectivity would strengthen
the basis of democratic institutions and civil society in Latin
America by allowing individuals to more effectively engage in
the formation and function of their own societies. Current U.S.
Department of State initiatives focus mainly on explaining U.S.
foreign policy to Latin American citizens, engaging them in
relevant discussions, strengthening communities through
improved communication and public dialogue, and improving
existing social bases for democratic institutions such as
freedom of the press and gender equity. Staff requested budget
figures for social media in the region, but none were provided.
Some of the challenges the U.S. Department of State's
policy faces in Latin American countries pertain to inadequate
levels of infrastructure and capability such as appropriate
online resources, lack of indigenous technical skills, and
little consideration of critical risks. These crucial areas
could benefit from greater emphasis in current U.S. Department
of State policy and action planning.
The U.S. Department of State's official position on the use
of connectivity resources and social media in Latin America is
that its ``digital platforms [should] explain U.S. foreign
policy, society, and values and seek to develop partnerships
with citizens in achieving shared goals: citizen security,
strong democratic institutions, inclusive economic prosperity,
and clean and secure energy.'' \27\ While these goals are
certainly wide-reaching, there are a number of specific areas
that are being targeted by U.S. Department of State efforts.
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\27\ Questions for the Record for Roberta Jacobson, Acting
Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, submitted
by Richard G. Lugar, Ranking Member, Committee on Foreign Relations for
hearing entitled ``The State of Democracy in the Americas'' on June 30,
2011.
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FOREIGN ENGAGEMENT OF U.S. FOREIGN POLICY
In line with its stated policy, the U.S. Department of
State's most visible activities in the realm of social media
engagement explain U.S. foreign policy to citizens of foreign
countries and hopefully engage these populations in dialogue
about the effects and intention of these policies. According to
Acting Assistant Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson, the
resources that have been devoted to this cause include two
full-time social media positions at the Bureau of Western
Hemisphere Affairs (WHA), in addition to some portion of the 72
Foreign Service officers and 114 locally employed staff
currently engaging local populations through social media
worldwide. To put these numbers in perspective, it is estimated
that the time spent on global social media engagement by
Foreign Service officers and locally employed staff is
equivalent to the work of 33 full-time employees.\28\
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\28\ Questions for the Record for Roberta Jacobson, Acting
Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, submitted
by Richard G. Lugar, Ranking Member, Committee on Foreign Relations for
hearing entitled ``The State of Democracy in the Americas'' on June 30,
2011.
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In Latin America specifically, U.S. Department of State
programs generally include informational and interactive
communication initiatives such as alerting Latin American
citizens to visits by U.S. officials, making online policy news
available in Spanish and Portuguese, conducting web-chats to
address social issues such as violence against journalists, and
exposing Latin American citizens to democratic social ideals.
One particularly successful policy program appears to be the
Mexico City Embassy's Mission Blog, which posts Spanish
language U.S. policy news both from the Embassy itself and from
other news outlets. Over 300,000 interested visitors access the
page each month.
STRENGTHENING SOCIETY BY STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES
The U.S. Department of State has focused a great deal of
effort on utilizing existing connectivity and social media
resources to strengthen communities and the basis of civil
society in Latin America. These programs have for the most part
attempted to foster dialogue on important issues, such as
entrepreneurship, green energy solutions, women's rights, and
multiculturalism.
One Facebook page targeted at entrepreneurially-minded
citizens in Latin America, for instance, has drawn several
thousand followers from among the teenage populations of
Argentina, Mexico, and Venezuela.\29\ It is the U.S. Department
of State's hope that enabling conversations about Latin
American entrepreneurship within this population could
ultimately spark significant economic activity drawn from the
creativity of young Latin Americans.
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\29\ Ibid. To visit this site, see http://www.facebook.com/
iniciativa.emprende.
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Another community-building initiative came in the form of a
program wherein a partnership with NGOs, telecommunication
companies, and the Government of Mexico facilitated the
development and installation of a system that allows any phone
to be used to give anonymous tips on illicit cartel
activity.\30\ Such capability will hopefully empower
individuals to take responsibility for putting a stop to
illicit activities in their home areas as well as encourage
groups of people to collectively work towards the creation of a
safe, secure, and productive community environment. While not a
traditional form of social media, the idea of using common
public communications infrastructure to facilitate communal
action is certainly an innovative attempt to employ social
media concepts to address a crucial issue in Mexico and other
parts of Latin America.
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\30\ Questions for the Record for Roberta Jacobson, Acting
Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, submitted
by Richard G. Lugar, Ranking Member, Committee on Foreign Relations for
hearing entitled ``The State of Democracy in the Americas'' on June 30,
2011.
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These specific programs are a few examples of a number of
U.S. Department of State programs in Latin America that utilize
social media concepts and resources to spread democratic
principles and strengthen civil society by providing forums for
public discussion of important issues, education about basic
social problems, and avenues by which individual citizens can
work to maintain the security and transparency of the society
in which they live.
COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGICAL SKILLS ENHANCEMENT
A natural complement to community-strengthening initiatives
to which the U.S. Department of State has given much attention
are programs that work to increase the ability of Latin
American populations to use their own indigenous technical,
organizational, and social capabilities to affect positive
change in their communities.
The U.S. Department of State has trained journalists in
several countries to increase their ability to quickly
disseminate accurate information about important events and
issues. A great deal of effort has been expended on Cuba, the
only country at present that actively censors U.S. policy
content. In Cuba, the U.S. Interest Section has offered
thousands of Internet sessions, blogging technology training,
basic computer skills classes, weekly on-site English classes,
and library support to the Cuban public.\31\ These programs aim
to bolster citizens' abilities to utilize existing resources,
and also create social resources of their own that will
increase government transparency and strengthen civil
institutions. While Cuba is certainly a singular case in the
great scheme of U.S. foreign policy, staff noticed the
heightened interest by U.S. Department of State officials in
increasing the basic computer and literacy skills of the Cuban
public as a means of empowering Cubans to affect positive
change in their own society.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\31\ Ibid.
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INFRASTRUCTURE CAPABILITY AND UTILIZATION IMPROVEMENT
Though it has been clearly stated that ``at this time the
U.S. Department of State does not allocate money for any
infrastructure projects,'' \32\ another consideration of the
Department's policy towards social media use in Latin America
has focused on improving existing infrastructure that is often
inadequate for basic communication, effective online browsing,
or utilization of social media resources.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\32\ Ibid.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A wide variety of U.S. government-initiated or sanctioned
programs have recently been enacted to encourage change in the
status quo in several Latin American countries. These include a
World Bank initiative to improve Nicaraguan connectivity
infrastructure, the U.S. government's engagement in aiding
telecommunications companies' quest for expanded licensure to
provide undersea cables and satellite services to Cuba, and the
U.S. Interest Section's provision of free Internet access to
Cubans.\33\ While these programs are not always directly funded
by the U.S. government, it is clear that the administration is
working on the infrastructure problem in this region,
particularly in areas where democratic institutions are not
especially well developed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\33\ Questions for the Record for Roberta Jacobson, Acting
Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, submitted
by Richard G. Lugar, Ranking Member, Committee on Foreign Relations for
hearing entitled ``The State of Democracy in the Americas'' on June 30,
2011.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The U.S. Department of State's efforts have resulted in ad
hoc funding for bandwidth increases for simultaneous
translation of certain online events and for isolated natural
disaster mitigation. Some administration partnerships with NGOs
working to increase broadband access in developing areas that
are particularly difficult to access currently exist, such as a
recent USAID effort to expand Haitian broadband access in rural
regions, but there has been relatively little emphasis placed
on improving the end user's ability to connect to both online
resources and to other individuals using the combination of
infrastructure and software to which he or she has access.\34\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\34\ Ibid.
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CRITICAL RISK MINIMIZATION
A final issue that requires more effort from the U.S.
Department of State is minimizing critical risks of increased
connectivity. As recent events in the United Kingdom, the
United States, and other industrialized countries have shown,
increased connectivity and access to social media resources has
the potential to create opportunities for negative social
outcomes such as flash robberies and recruitment of individuals
to civically counterproductive causes.
The U.S. Department of State has initiated programs to
address these issues in certain contexts, such as helping to
institute an SMS-based system to counter FARC recruitment in
Colombia and working to implement a secure tip line system in
Mexico to fight the widespread perception of inadequate
personal security.
While these programs represent significant progress towards
mitigating potential negative effects of increased connectivity
in Latin America, a great deal of work is still necessary to
ameliorate these issues, particularly in online social media
environments. For example, collaborators of President Hugo
Chavez in Venezuela recently hacked the Twitter accounts of
opposition activists. Staff strongly believes that this example
indicates how policy needs to take into consideration the
extent repressive governments will take to silence democratic
voices using this technology.\35\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\35\ ``Ciberpiratas infiltran las cuentas de Twitter de los
opositores a Hugo Chavez,'' Associated Press, 28 September, 2011,
http://www.noticias24.com/actualidad/noticia/327022/ap-
ciberpiratas-infiltran-las-cuentas-de-twitter-de-los-opositores-a-hugo-
chavez.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are also a number of broader areas in which there is
still a good deal of progress to be made. Specifically,
improving the recipient base of basic computer skills training,
deepening the technical content of skills transfer programs,
increasing the number of critical online resources in relevant
foreign languages, matching online resource requirements to
existing infrastructure capabilities, and combating critical
civic risks from online social media actors are areas that
staff believes could represent productive future foci of U.S.
Department of State policy and efforts in the region. Moreover,
improving current data collection capabilities to monitor the
present state of such initiatives and to determine the
countries in which they would have the greatest impact will be
crucial to ensuring outcomes that are both important and long-
lasting.
Recommendations: How the U.S. Can Further Expand
Social Media in Latin America
Upon analyzing information provided by the U.S. Department
of State, governments of several Latin American countries, and
industry insiders, staff strongly encourages the U.S.
government to implement the following recommendations to
address shortcomings in the technological connectivity and
literacy of Latin American countries. These recommendations aim
to enhance citizens' abilities to connect via social media and
technology and to allow democratic governments and other
organizations interested in the proliferation of basic freedoms
to reach larger audiences with information and services.
IMPLEMENT TECHNOLOGY TRAINING PROGRAMS
Nearly every country in the world welcomes the opportunity
to increase the legitimacy of its technology industry. In
particular, software engineering is often a low-cost, high-
return endeavor due to the lack of overhead costs involved and
the massive potential market for software products. For this
reason, U.S. efforts to cooperatively establish frameworks
wherein U.S. entities (public or private) would contribute to
training programs in advanced software engineering in foreign
countries could be well-received. Senior government officials
interviewed for this study agree that these efforts are going
to be driven by commercial interests.
Besides the economic benefits such programs could have,
which would reflect favorably on the U.S., they would allow for
the dissemination of software expertise into the general
populace, making it more difficult for governments to censor
online material or otherwise use connectivity resources to
curtail the bases of democratic institutions. In the United
States, for instance, it is difficult to effectively censor
online content due to the existence of significant private
software expertise, and efforts to bring such expertise into
Latin American countries could pay similar dividends in the
long-run.
More specifically, establishing a well-trained,
independent, and private software engineering sector
effectively deprives the government of the advantage of being
able to hire and control the best software engineers. In
addition to being in alignment with existing foreign aid goals,
then, such technology training programs could be useful in
ensuring the maintenance of freedom of speech in other segments
of the world. Specific implementation avenues could include the
encouragement of relevant cross-country university partnership
and monetary support of formal training programs in less
developed areas, among others. While some training programs
have occurred, they have not had the magnitude or level of
success necessary to impact openness without foreign assistance
in both the intermediate and long term.
ESTABLISH BASIC INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LITERACY OUTREACH
Adequate connectivity for significant Internet use does not
guarantee that online resources will be effectively utilized by
the general population. Rather, for widespread Internet use to
become a reality in previously unconnected countries, it is
imperative that the general populace be exposed to fundamental,
consistent, and protracted information technology literacy
tutorials. If goals such as real-time detection of election
fraud, social media utilization as an avenue for political
action, and online distribution of information about government
services are to be accomplished, a country's general population
must be able to effectively leverage their existing
technological resources.
Programs aimed at bringing information technology literacy
to underserved populations, who are often most vulnerable to
the types of problems social media and technology use could
hopefully resolve, would significantly promote the spread of
just, transparent democracy in Latin America. Specific
implementation strategies could mirror current industry best
practices by leveraging recent advances in online computer
service and live chat (both voice and written) methods. The
United States has organized some information technology
literacy programs in Cuba, but outside of its Cuba outreach,
little has been done except blogging sessions. More programs
are needed, and these information technology literacy outreach
programs should be targeted at citizens, not just journalists.
Furthermore, establishing more partnerships with
nongovernmental organizations and municipal institutions and
leveraging existing Fulbright Commissions and American public
diplomacy spaces such as American Corners and American Centers
would help expand information technology literacy outreach.
With proper resources, linkages between the Department of
Education and partner Ministries in the region could allow
future generations to drive the educational process through
direct school-to-school contact.
PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR LOCAL TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPERS
TO CREATE LANGUAGE RESOURCES
A distinct disadvantage for Latin American Internet users
is that only 12% of the world's online resources are in Spanish
or Portuguese.\36\ It is therefore likely that important online
resources traditionally composed in English or Chinese (which
together make up a full 50% of the world's web sites) are not
readily available to many Latin American Internet users.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\36\ ``Internet World Users by Language,'' Internet World Stats,
March 2011,
http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats7.htm.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
To remedy this shortfall, the Department of State should
support local efforts to develop translating technology
resources such as information technology literacy websites,
technical tutorials, and the like into languages such as
Spanish and Portuguese so that inhabitants of Latin American
countries might have fuller access to the critical political,
technical, and social capabilities of the modern Internet
developed in their own countries. The creation of this
auxiliary online content would continuously and permanently
increase the efficacy of any connectivity that the region
currently has or will gain in the future. Additionally, social
media could be used to disseminate translated resources.
GENERATE LOW-REQUIREMENT INFRASTRUCTURE
The widespread increase in connectivity that Latin America
has experienced in recent years is in some ways deceiving.
While Internet coverage and penetration has certainly
increased, the level of online services that individuals in
these countries experience is not on par with those found in
countries with more developed infrastructure. Thus, it is
unlikely that these populations would be able to leverage
Internet connectivity as effectively as possible given that
their bandwidth levels may not be consistently sufficient to
support some of the most useful online resources. Even on well-
equipped mobile devices in the United States, certain websites
will take extremely long periods of time to fully load and
sometimes will not be compatible with a mobile format.
Given that it is significantly easier to bring new
connectivity to an area with mobile rather than hardwired
connections, it is imperative that relevant online content be
created that could be effectively utilized on slow connections.
As opposed to creating content with large graphics files, for
instance, sites containing information should be structured to
minimize the information that users must download. In the
context of social media, this would imply creating a social
media infrastructure that emphasizes basic functionality at the
expense of aesthetically pleasing, but ultimately superfluous,
graphic material.
Encouragement should be given to private sector companies
as well as relevant public sector entities to foster the
maintenance of low bandwidth social media resources so that
less connected populations can begin to realize the advantages
of modern connectivity and the associated potential for both
social and political action that such connectivity brings. As a
starting point, since the small-scale SMS programs started by
the Administration have been relatively successful, such
projects could perhaps be extended to the online domain. Thus,
while the U.S. Department of State does not necessarily fund
new infrastructure at present, the initiatives described here
could certainly augment the success of its existing programs in
a similar fashion.
While low-requirement infrastructure represents a short-
term solution to increasing technological connectivity,
improving and providing more bandwidth should be a long-term
goal in the region. Staff notes that traditionally, the people
who have built media infrastructure for the United States
government have been the engineers at International
Broadcasting Bureau (IBB). Staff concludes that the IBB would
be the best fit for contracting digital infrastructure
projects.
ASSESS CRITICAL RISKS
Whenever new technology is introduced into a given area,
the positive consequences of the action must ultimately be
weighed against the possibility of unintended negative
repercussions.
On the one hand, although increased connectivity does have
a number of positive consequences, including spurring the
utilization of social media for increased political
transparency and improving the dissemination of useful
information, such connectivity can also be misused in ways that
distinctly threaten political freedoms and even lives. As the
recent situation in Egypt has shown, well-organized (often
radical) groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood tend to benefit
most from sudden liberalization. In Egypt, the organizational
disparity was so great that elections are believed to have been
delayed partially due to fears that the well-organized Muslim
Brotherhood would win an inordinately large number of
governmental seats.
On the other hand, staff raised the issue of privacy with
industry insiders as a potential problem in the future. These
insiders agreed that privacy concerns need to be addressed, but
at the same time, they worried that too much government
interference and regulation could limit the proliferation of
information and access to it.
Mitigating factors such as confidence in law enforcement
authority, the organizational level of violent criminals, and
the relative utilization capabilities of different political
entities should therefore be deeply considered when deciding
whether or not to implement the types of programs described
here. Since almost no data have been collected on critical
risks at this time, improved data collection and analysis could
aid with these assessments in the future.
Conclusion
Social media tools are by no means a panacea for democracy
promotion. Since social media are most effective when the
political environment of a country is ripe for change,
limitations exist with respect to a population's ability to use
social media to effect change. Social media facilitate
communications and the dissemination of information, but these
tools cannot determine the course of events alone. Instead,
technology accelerates underlying grassroots movements that
would likely occur regardless of the influence of technology.
Despite the palpable role that social media and technology
can play, staff found that industry insiders are less keen to
associate themselves with the political uses of these tools.
For example:
1. The largest social media companies still view themselves as
startups. This viewpoint proves problematic because
these social media companies do, in fact, have an
international reach similar to that of large
multinational companies. For example, while Facebook
has expanded its global presence, many social media
companies have yet to adopt an aggressive international
presence. Generally speaking, while the social media
industry has a large presence in terms of users, they
do not have individuals to manage their relationships
with foreign governments and civil society.
2. The perspective of ``neutrality to politics'' by industry
insiders is complicated further by the nuanced
relationship that exists between the technology
industry and the U.S. government. On the one hand, the
U.S. Department of State recognizes the potential and
values the use of social media and technology because
these tools can help advance U.S. foreign policy
interests. On the other hand, these social media
companies are businesses that do not want to be viewed
as another arm of the U.S. government because they want
to attract international business, and in some
countries close relations with the United States is
cause for distrust and suspicion.
3. This relationship is complicated further by the dominant
attitude regarding government that generally exists
within the technology industry. One industry insider
that was interviewed for this report stated, ``We view
government as a necessary evil, the way that people
look at traffic cops. If you get stopped for speeding,
you pay your ticket.''
These observations give insight into the industry's
perspective of itself and also help explain their aversion to
government relations. As interactions with governments
increase, they will understand the need to have specialized
staff to cultivate these relationships. With strong executive
branch systems of government in Latin America and throughout
much of the world, relationships with these governments cannot
be avoided. In fact, good relations with these governments
could prove useful to advance business interests.
Just as the tension between industry and governments will
probably not subside in the future, this technology is not
going to go away. Staff strongly believes that the prospect of
full access to this technology everywhere outweighs any
disadvantages in a number of current foreign policy situations.
Increasing popular use of technological resources presents a
variety of important opportunities for making governments more
responsive to the needs of the people they serve, for allowing
citizens to connect and share opinions freely, and for
promoting U.S. commerce.
In order to better serve their citizens, it is crucial that
Latin American governments promote this technological domain.
Likewise, if the industry is going to reach its full potential
regarding connecting individuals globally, it is important that
industry be present physically with offices in the region both
to make the necessary relationships and to better understand
the region it serves and its idiosyncrasies. The industry
cannot afford to exist solely online.
The United States has consistently led the world in both
technological innovation and pioneering new communications
media. American technological entrepreneurs, moreover, have and
should continue to exchange ideas and share expertise with
interested Latin Americans to discuss ways to use social media
to accomplish specific goals. Thus, in the age of digital
activism, the United States should continue to generate and
promote innovative new technology and ideas so that people all
over the world can connect with information, strengthen
democracy, increase commerce, demand their freedoms, and use
social networking to impact their world in the 21st century.
Appendix I
----------
Contributors
Paul Foldi, Senior Professional Staff for Public Diplomacy,
Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate
Alexandra Utsey, Legislative Assistant, Committee on
Foreign Relations, United States Senate
Jared Dunnmon, Intern, Committee on Foreign Relations,
United States Senate
Readers
Garrett Johnson, Founder, InfoRate
Kezia McKeague, Director of Government Relations, Council
of the Americas
Government Officials Consulted for This Study
United States
Roberta Jacobson, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, Department of State,
answers to Questions for the Record submitted by Richard G.
Lugar, Ranking Member, Committee on Foreign Relations for
hearing entitled ``The State of Democracy in the Americas'' on
June 30, 2011
Alec Ross, Senior Advisor for Innovation to Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton, Department of State
Suzanne Hall, Senior Innovation Advisor in the Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of State
Mexico
Ricardo Alday, Communications Director and Spokesman for
the Embassy of Mexico
Brazil
Gisela Padovan, Senior Advisor to the Brazilian Ambassador
in Washington
Colombia
Alfonso Cuellar, Senior Advisor to the Colombian Ambassador
in Washington
Chile
Pablo Matamoros, President Pinera's senior aide for web
communications
Industry Insiders Consulted For This Study
Alexander Macgillivray, General Counsel, Twitter
Debbie Frost, Director of International Communications and
Public Policy, Facebook
Alberto Arebalos, Director of Communications and Public
Affairs for Google Latin America