Carl is Senior Adviser in the Berlin office with a focus on public affairs. He provides strategic communication advice and senior counsel to private sector companies and other organizations. Carl is experienced in all kinds of communications, including crisis communications and issue management.
What makes social media such a welcoming conduit for false information?
Social Media have thousands of users and players and therefore are confusing. They are seemingly transparent but in reality they are not.
Would you provide a bit of background on how you decided to start Brunswick office in Berlin? What is the mission?
Brunswick Berlin was started in 2006 with the goal of developing a public affairs-offer to our clients. In a world where a relationship of business and society is of increasing importance and where regulatory issues are key it is important for firms to develop a communicative relationship with the world of politics.
You have been named as the senior adviser with a focus on public affairs. What change do you want to achieve from that position?
I want to help firms to navigate in an often unclear environment of social and political requirements.
Can eDiplomacy be a tool for solving bilateral issues and defeating fake news? How?
Please excuse me if I have some doubts. eDiplomacy can be used for good but also for more negative goals. eDiplomacy is certainly a fact in today’s world but not without risks. See the obvious eInvolvement of Russia in Western elections and politics.
What would be the most important knowledge and skills for the success of diplomats, according to German diplomacy?
I am not a diplomat but I suppose the required skills for diplomats are the same all over the world.
How good is the communication of German diplomats according to the Public Relation recommendations?
Communication of German diplomats is handled by the Foreign Office. They have a communications department and deal with all communicative questions.
Could you briefly explain the German diplomacy communication via social media?
The German Foreign Office has a website “auswaertiges-amt.de”. They also use Twitter.
Since Barack Obama was so successful in using Social Media when he was campaigning to become US-President all politicians have turned to these media. And Donald Trump showed the world what one can do with Twitter. As a result politics have changed worldwide. Politics by Twitter has become a widely used tool – at least in the Western world. German politicians, too, are using Social Media to communicate with their voters, media or fellow politicians. As far as diplomats are concerned they are obviously careful. They report to the Foreign Office and leave communication to the specialized department there.
What major developments have to be done in terms of enhancing their communication capabilities?
Brunswick is not working for governments or political parties. We only work for corporates. I therefore cannot answer your question.
Mr. Carl, could diplomats fight Fake News?
It should be the job of diplomats to fight Fake News. But we all know that Fake News have always been a political means – long before the internet was invented.
Is there any tidy place in the messy cyber world and how to keep it clean?
The cyber world is endless so I cannot really answer your question. But my guess is that there are very few tidy places and those tidy places are certainly endangered of being messed up.
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