Friendly vs. Assertive Messages by Foreign Elites on Social Media

• In Event: Political Communications and International Relations in the Digital Era

Abstract

Can digital diplomacy (DD) produced by foreign elites shape public opinion in a target country? This research examines the effects of DD and focuses on how the effectiveness of DD depends on the type of message (friendly vs. assertive). Friendly DD is positive behavior that emphasizes cooperation between the host and guest countries, while assertive DD is aggressive behavior that attacks a state and breaks diplomatic protocol. I argue that friendly DD influences opinion by improving perceptions of the sending country through a process of affect. Assertive diplomacy, however, may either improve perceptions of the sender by exposing foreigners to competing information frames or harm the sender through a backlash effect. To test these claims, I conduct a survey experiment exposing American internet users to Chinese diplomatic tweets. The results suggest that friendly DD by Chinese foreign elites improves attitudes about China and U.S. policies toward China. Moreover, while assertive digital diplomacy harms public attitudes about China and their support for cooperative policies toward it, it makes people less likely to favor an active U.S. role in world affairs. This research has implications for the future of diplomatic communications.

Author

• Angel Manuel Villegas Cruz, Pennsylvania State University