Conceptual Characteristics of International Internet Communication as a Foreign Policy Tool

Abstract

There are conceptual characteristics of international Internet communication as a foreign policy tool analyzed. It is noted that scientific research in the field of communication is characterized by such stages of development as the implementation of empirical observations in the field of communication, the development of the theory of mass communication, the analysis of the role of mass communication in political processes and the formulation of theoretical terms, the development of methodology and research methods in the field of communication and mass expansion -media means "electronic revolution", the use of innovative communicative approaches to interactions within the world community. The stages of the formation of approaches to the interpretation of international Internet communication in the context of foreign policy elucidated. It has been established that the use of modern tools of international Internet communication has led to a change in the perceptions about the role and opportunities for international actors to participate in the foreign policy process, in particular the actions of certain non-traditional actors of international relations within existing legal norms, which are aimed at the processes of making foreign policy decisions. The presence of asymmetric international Internet communication justified and its differentiated (positive/negative) influence on the system of international relations proved. The author's definition of the term «international Internet communication» is presented which is used in modern scientific practice as identical to the concepts «social media platforms», «social networks», «new media» and «computer-mediated communications» and is used to describe the relationships that are formed between the international political or social actors as a result of the use of modern network technologies. Determined the main functions of the international Internet communication and foreign policy activities such as explanatory, forecasting, synthesizing, methodological, practical, and also the influence and structure of each function in particular are analyzed. The ambiguity of the impact of social media platforms on foreign policy is established. Problems for international communication are mentioned, such as promoting the development of extremist movements, non-compliance with the safety of personal data storage, copyright infringement, the spread of false information that may affect political processes in the country, foreign-policy propaganda.