Italy’s Embassy Hosts Dialogue on Digital Diplomacy

WASHINGTON — The Embassy of Italy in Washington, D.C., was abuzz with forward-looking dialogue earlier this week as diplomats, technologists and creators convened to explore how digital diplomacy is evolving in the era of social media influence. At the center of the discussion: how the creator economy is transforming soft power and public diplomacy for a digital-first world.

The event, hosted under the banner of Digital Diplomacy, spotlighted how creators — those wielding online platforms and digital trust — are becoming frontline agents of global engagement. Panelists argued that traditional diplomacy, once dominated by institutional channels and officialdom, is rapidly shifting toward more decentralized storytelling led by individuals with powerful followings and platforms.

“Diplomacy is really moving from agency channels and rolodexes, and institutional events to creator-led storytelling and co-creation of narratives,” said Janice DeGarmo, chief operating officer of the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue, a leading voice in tech diplomacy who formerly worked as executive director for the State Department’s Bureau of Information Resource Management.

“More and more, industries are looking to the creator economy because creators own the platform, they own their influence, and people are seeing those creators as more relevant, as more authentic.”

At the heart of the conversation was the recognition that creators, once seen solely as content producers, are now seen by some as cultural diplomats. Their content can shape perceptions, bridge divides, and amplify marginalized voices.

Jayme Franklin Chandler, content creator and founder of The Conservateur, a platform aimed at connecting conservative women, emphasized the democratizing effect of the digital age. 

“I think why the creator economy has gotten so big in culture and politics is that people are hearing voices that might not be represented in traditional media,” she said. “There’s a lot of trust that people have when they follow somebody and get involved in their lives.”

This trust, according to the panelists, is not only social capital — it’s diplomatic currency.

“Trust is ultimately the currency for success,” DeGarmo said. “Whether it’s trusted technology, trusted communication, trusted information — ultimately, that is our currency.”

From the campaign trail to the White House, creators have increasingly become integral to political outreach. Chandler recounted working with the Department of Health and Human Services to communicate messages about maternal health and nutrition, highlighting how digital platforms provide unparalleled reach into younger demographics.

“This White House has shown they want to bring in creators and young people who have platforms to help spread the word,” she said. “During the campaign, both sides of the aisle were going on podcasts, using creators, because you get to see them in a more authentic form.”

The creator economy, panelists argued, enables a raw, real-time connection between leaders and the people they serve.

But with influence comes responsibility. Panelists were candid about the darker sides of the digital ecosystem, particularly regarding foreign platforms.

“Platforms like TikTok, where data is legally required to go back to the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] and may be used in ways that don’t align with democratic values and freedoms— I think it’s really important to think about that,” DeGarmo warned. 

“The creator economy has an obligation to ensure their content is on trusted platforms,” she said.

The conversation touched on the strategic importance of trusted technology and the role of tech diplomacy in securing not just networks, but narratives.

“Tech is not static; diplomacy is not static,” DeGarmo said. “We are constantly evolving. The State Department, for example, has done some really interesting things to bring in the creator economy.”

For example, former Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s food diplomacy push, which brought together 80 chefs as a “Kitchen Cabinet” using food to create deep dialogue and collaboration, and last summer’s NATO summit, where influencers were invited to engage with senior officials and journalists—proof that high-level diplomacy is embracing less conventional, yet powerful forms of engagement.

Sabino Curcio, founder and content creator of @GrowinUpItalian summed up the delicate balance between influence and independence, stating, “Access is an honor. Tell us what we can’t post, but don’t tell us what to post.”

As diplomacy becomes more decentralized and participatory, panelists stressed the need for continued dialogue among institutions and influencers. Creators are no longer peripheral—they are, as DeGarmo put it, “extensions of diplomacy.”

As the creator economy continues to expand and diversify, it offers both opportunities and challenges for democratic societies. The Embassy of Italy’s event served as a timely reminder that the future of diplomacy may be less about institutions and more about digital feeds. And in this new frontier, influence is wielded not just by officials behind podiums, but by creators behind smartphones.

“Ultimately, this is about shaping narratives that resonate,” said DeGarmo. “And in a world increasingly shaped by technology, that’s a job too big for governments alone.”

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