The International Strategic Communication Summit (Stratcom Summit'23), hosted by the Presidency's Directorate of Communications, held a panel on "Public Communication in the Digital Age."
At the International Strategic Communication Summit organised by the Directorate of Communication in Istanbul, OECD Public Policy Analyst Karine Badr moderated the panel titled "Public Communication in the Digital Age" with the participation of Tom Moylan, lecturer at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Anamaria Dutceac Segesten, Vice Dean at Lund University, and Kristina Plavsak Krajnc, Founder of the Media Forum of the Centre for Public Communication (Slovenia).
Moylan, a lecturer at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, emphasised the importance of "using data persuasively" in public communication and said, "It is becoming increasingly popular to use data to tell a story or to support opinions. Data can be the subject of communication."
"We can also use data to monitor what is happening in the world, to determine where our voices are needed and where we need to go and speak," said Moylan, noting that data can also help public communicators make decisions on issues such as "which platforms to use and what kind of messages to give."
"Communication in the public sector comes with a weight of responsibilities and accountabilities"
Segesten, Vice Dean of Lund University, pointed out that artificial intelligence is not "a marketing gimmick" but a type of technology and computer software, emphasising that artificial intelligence is dependent on human control and operates within a certain area.
Speaking about the areas in which communicators will use artificial intelligence, Segesten said that these include "educating computers to see, to understand and produce language, and to understand what is being said."
Pointing out that these areas can be used to facilitate access to information in public communication, Segesten said, "The accessibility of institutional communication through automated translation and accessibility in many different languages allows for equal representation. Artificial intelligence can be used to communicate citizen concerns and complaints and optimise the interface between the government and citizens. Software can be created for sign language users, and efforts can be made to reach a point where these can be used in daily life."
Segesten further stated that artificial intelligence technologies have the potential to enhance information quality, adding, "They can be employed to identify problematic or inaccurate content in posts or fake or hate speech-spreading accounts." Artificial intelligence can be used to produce manipulation and disinformation as well as to determine the truth."
"Communication in the public sector comes with a weight of responsibilities and accountabilities," Segesten said, recalling the difference between public communication and other forms of communication.
"We must embrace digital technologies and harness their potential to empower communities"
Krajnc, the founder of the Media Forum of the Slovenian Centre for Public Communication, said that public communication is based on "democracy, democratic principles and professional standards," which enable "quality information flow from the government, ensuring accountability and promoting stakeholder participation."
"Public communication is a process carried out by public institutions. It needs to be executed responsibly and always in the public interest," said Krajnc, pointing out that public communication should not turn into a marketing or competitive strategy and that its distinction with political communication should be kept in mind.
Noting that while the function of public communication in the digital environment is the same, there needs to be an adaptation in terms of technique, channels and messages, Krajnc said, "In this sense, the stories we tell and the products we present should be based on real evidence, but we should be more descriptive and creative in doing so." It is more important to demonstrate and capture people's attention rather than merely say something."
Concerning the use of digital technologies in public communication, Krajnc said, "We must embrace digital technologies and harness their potential to empower communities."