Politics : Diplomats Take to Twitter To Promote U.S. Around the Globe

The U.S. State Department seems to be embracing social media in a big way. While the American diplomatic agency isn't new to services like Twitter and Facebook, it has markedly stepped up its presence in recent weeks. Spokespeople from within the department have started directly addressing residents of foreign countries and leaders via Twitter to refute rumors and clarify U.S. policy. More specifically, department spokesman Philip J. Crowley has used Twitter to urge citizens of Haiti, Tunisia and Lebanon to remain calm while simultaneously pushing their leaders to implement government reforms.

Crowley even addressed the population of Haiti and former dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier before the press did. Crowley's tweet ("we are surprised by the timing of Duvalier's visit to Haiti, it adds unpredictability at an uncertain time in Haiti's election process,") was the first official comment on the situation. He also used the service to dismiss Julian Assange's suggestions that the U.S. would try to imprison him at Guantanamo Bay. By using Twitter, Crowley and the State Department are able to control the dialog more directly than they could by going through traditional channels like the press -- a trick that Sarah Palin figured out some time ago.