State Practice in the Age of Social Media

Overview

State practice is fundamentally important in international law: it forms one of the two requisite elements for customary international law, in some cases can bind States unilaterally and also affects the interpretation of treaties. State practice is what States do - often expressed through that State's representative, be it the Head of State, the Foreign Minister, or some other person with authority. What happens when that behaviour is not through traditional channels - press releases, diplomatic correspondence, and official speeches - but on social media?

This project aims to establish a doctrinal approach to state practice and social media, analysing what has been considered state practice in the past and drawing out a set of criteria that applies to social media posts.