— Domani Spero
In late March, the State Department launched a new phase in diplomacy and roiled the Internet. (see State Dept’s Selfie Diplomacy: #UnitedForUkraine; Now Waiting For Selfie From the Russian Bear …). Yesterday, it moved on to the next phase with #hashtag diplomacy and ignited the Internet once more.
It looks like this started earlier in the day, during the Daily Press Briefing. AP’s Matt Lee asked for official reaction on Russia apparently stealing the State Department’s #UnitedforUkraine meme:
QUESTION: Very high? Okay. And then in numerous tweets today – that I think this is a new development – the Russian foreign ministry seems to have stolen your #UnitedforUkraine meme. Do you have any reaction to this? They’re putting out their stuff with UnitedforUkraine on it. They seem to have – or could be trying to hijack it. Would you suggest that they get their own, or are you okay with this?
MS. PSAKI: I don’t think they’re living by their hashtag.
Here is one of the tweets from the Russian foreign ministry:
#Lavrov: Our US counterparts must compel the acting officials in Kiev to bear responsibility for the current situation #UnitedForUkraine
— MFA Russia (@mfa_russia) April 24, 2014
Later on Thursday, Ms. Psaki returned to the hashtag and tweeted:
The world stands #UnitedforUkraine. Let’s hope that the #Kremlin & @mfa_russia will live by the promise of hashtag
— Jen Psaki (@statedeptspox) April 24, 2014
State/IIP’s Macon Phillips followed with this:
Welcome to the #UnitedForUkraine hashtag @mfa_russia! 2 steps to join in: First watch an intro video http://t.co/gbM5jUGlGa, then RT!
— Macon Phillips (@macon44) April 24, 2014
REACTIONS
Can this be real? MT @statedeptspox: The world stands #UnitedforUkraine. Let’s hope that the #kremlin will live by the promise of hashtag
— James Fallows (@JamesFallows) April 25, 2014
What Theodore Roosevelt said!
*archivephoto* RT @jbarro: It’s like Theodore Roosevelt said: Speak softly and carry a big hashtag. pic.twitter.com/yYLDV9i2xN
— darth™ (@darth) April 25, 2014
Ask not what your hashtag can do for you; ask what you can do for your hashtag. #PromiseofHashtag
— Benjamin Green (@BGreenAZ) April 25, 2014
@statedeptspox @Ukrainolution @mfa_russia They were blatantly mocking you Jen!You really don’t understand Russians.Hashtags promises? Oy vey
— Adin of Crimea (@RealCrimea) April 25, 2014
I hope someday the whole world can live by the promise of hashtag https://t.co/iZ10qKZO5N
— andy levy (@andylevy) April 25, 2014
@statedeptspox @mfa_russia yeah, maybe we could get them to pinky swear.
— Marian (@singlemaltgal) April 25, 2014
@Diplopundit Is it just me, or did all the adults on the 7th floor retire? Lavrov’s playing hardball and we fielded the cheer squad …
— Thomas Yeager (@taytco) April 25, 2014
Oh dear God. RT @atotalmonet ok time to shut twitter down I will miss you all but think of the children https://t.co/wvp5sii55s
And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your hashtag can do for you – ask what you can do for your hashtag. #promiseofhashtag
— Roman (@RomanOnARiver) April 25, 2014
— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) April 25, 2014
Recent Twitter fuckups, ranked: 3. United Airlines discovers pictures 2. #myNYPD 1. “Hashtag diplomacy”
— Kelsey D. Atherton (@AthertonKD) April 25, 2014
Yes it is @DiplomacyWorld1 @Diplopundit The Diplomacy-by-Hashtag Thing Is Not a Joke – National Review Online (blog) http://t.co/9UjOtjudSZ
— Father Dale (@chainofmeat) April 25, 2014
THE END
This is the way the world ends This is the way the world ends This is the way the world ends Not with a bang but a #hashtag
— billmon (@billmon1) April 25, 2014
You’re laughing but it’s getting eyeballs. Maybe State is willing to be mocked online as long as it gets people talking about #UnitedforUkraine?
Oh, we must confess — Friday! Dear Friday,thank god you’re here!
# # #
Related articles
- Obama’s State Dept. ridiculed for ‘hashtag doctrine’ response to Russia’s aggression (bizpacreview.com)
- Russia isn’t living up to the ‘spirit of hashtag,’ State Department spokeswoman Psaki tweets (blogs.marketwatch.com)
- The State Department Is Getting Ruthlessly Mocked For Tweets Of ‘Hashtag Diplomacy’ (businessinsider.com)
- ‘#Hashtag for our time’: Merciless mockery of State Department’s impotent hashtag diplomacy [Photoshops] (twitchy.com)
- The State Department’s Ridiculous Hashtag Diplomacy (outsidethebeltway.com)
