20 October 2023
Effects of Misleading Information and Disinformation on Public Diplomacy
In the digital age, the spread of misleading information and disinformation has serious impacts on international relations and public diplomacy. In this research, the effects of misleading information on public diplomacy and how to deal with this problem were examined.
Misleading information and disinformation not only mislead individuals' perceptions, but can also harm inter-state relations. Misleading information, especially spread through social media platforms, can negatively affect people's perceptions of other countries. This can complicate public diplomacy efforts.
However, public diplomacy can also be an effective tool in combating misleading information and disinformation. Accurate information sharing and transparency can reduce the effects of misleading information. Adopting strategies to actively disseminate accurate information, especially on digital platforms, is of critical importance in combating disinformation.
This research examined in detail how public diplomacy strategies can be used effectively in the fight against misleading information and disinformation. Suggested strategies include increasing digital media literacy, promoting accurate information sources, and jointly developing strategies to combat disinformation through international cooperation.
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Public Diplomacy or Lobbying?
02 October 2025
The relatively new concept of public diplomacy is often used interchangeably with lobbying. However, lobbying has emerged particularly in the context of negative propaganda faced by Turkey in Western countries and has stood out as a method carried out through private commercial organizations operating in the United States for this very purpose. Yet, it is difficult to argue that this method has made a significant contribution to improving Turkey’s image in the past.
In contrast, public diplomacy is an approach that aims to provide civilian contributions to a country’s foreign policy objectives. In this sense, civilian support encompasses activities carried out not by state diplomacy, but by civil society organizations, academia, opinion leaders, or prominent figures of society. For instance, activities conducted through official lobbying lists in the U.S. Congress or the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag) should not be confused with today’s dialogue-based modern public diplomacy. When evaluated in all its sub-fields, public diplomacy offers opportunities far beyond the narrow framework of lobbying, providing much broader and virtually unlimited possibilities.
Therefore, benefiting from the opportunities of public diplomacy in diverse fields such as culture, arts, science, sports, politics, economy, trade, humanitarian aid, and diaspora diplomacy to build, reshape, and reinforce a nation’s image is far more effective and beneficial than the limited lobbying efforts conducted through commercial entities.
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The Traitorous Coup Attempt of 15 July and Turkish Public Diplomacy
16 July 2025
In this special issue, on the ninth anniversary of the treacherous coup attempt on 15 July 2016, Turkey's fight against the Fetullah Terrorist Organisation (FETÖ) is discussed within the framework of public diplomacy.
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