Phenomenon of Big Data Diplomacy in World Politics

In 2015, the attention of Western researchers was attracted by the concept introduced by Timothy Dye, the American political scientist, who described Big Data analysis as an invaluable resource for the foreign policy of states. Its relevance is evident as in 2020 the methods of data collection, processing, and usage in the projects of digital diplomacy were successfully implemented by the governing bodies in the United States, Russia, China, Iran, Brazil, and others. Thanks to the interest of the countries in Western Hemisphere, Asia, and Europe in the development of artificial intelligence (AI), this trend is sure to take a global character. Some authors consider this advancement of digital diplomacy to be a promising leap into the future, but others - a huge threat to cybersecurity around the world. The purpose of this article is to study a new technology for the development of foreign policy influence called (Big) Data Diplomacy through the analysis of the publications of authoritative scholars and experts from the United States. The American experts are the first drivers for the introduction of the Big Data Diplomacy to word politics. Therefore, the present paper examines the expert community’s views on the Data Diplomacy and reveals the essence, functions, qualitative characteristics, and the main challenges emanating from this new digital instrument in relation to the foreign policy of various countries. In conclusion, we have formulated the general conclusions regarding the vision of the concept of Data Diplomacy and its impact on world politics.

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