Whois & Analysis for america.gov

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP) supports the Department's public diplomacy efforts by providing and supporting the places, content, and infrastructure needed for sustained conversations with foreign audiences.

IIP is one of three bureaus that report to the Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Bureau of Public Affairs are the sister bureaus.

Freedom of speech is the right to articulate one's opinions and ideas without fear of government retaliation or censorship, or societal sanction.

The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used.

Civil society is the "aggregate of non-governmental organizations and institutions that manifest interests and will of citizens".

Civil society includes the family and the private sphere, referred to as the "third sector" of society, distinct from government and business.

By other authors, "civil society" is used in the sense of 1) the aggregate of non-governmental organizations and institutions that manifest interests and will of citizens or 2) individuals and organizations in a society which are independent of the government.

Democracy (' literally "rule of the commoners"), in modern usage, is a system of government in which the citizens exercise power directly or elect representatives from among themselves to form a governing body, such as a parliament.

Democracy is sometimes referred to as "rule of the majority".

Democracy was originally conceived in Classical Greece, where political representatives were chosen by a jury from amongst the male citizens: rich and poor.

The English word dates to the 16th century, from the older Middle French and Middle Latin equivalents.

Innovation can be defined simply as a "new idea, device or method".

However, innovation is often also viewed as the application of better solutions that meet new requirements, unarticulated needs, or existing market needs.

This is accomplished through more-effective products, processes, services, technologies, or business models that are readily available to markets, governments and society.

The term "innovation" can be defined as something original and more effective and, as a consequence, new, that "breaks into" the market or society.

It is related to, but not the same as, invention.

Innovation is often manifested via the engineering process.

The opposite of innovation is exnovation.