Election 2024 : Social Media Emerges as a Key Player in India

Election 2024 : Social Media Emerges as a Key Player in India

ANJAN SARMA

As Election 2024 unfolds in India, social media has emerged as a pivotal force in shaping political narratives and engaging voters. The landscape of political communication in India is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

This evolution marks the nation’s first-ever “social media election,” with digital influencers and alternative viewpoints challenging the traditional media’s dominance.

The rise of social media in Indian politics can be traced back to the early 2010s, a period when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi harnessed these platforms to disseminate their messages.

This era saw the emergence of a “right-wing ecosystem” on social media, which created cognitive dissonance with the mainstream media narrative. Traditional media, initially less provocative, began to mirror the inflammatory content of the right-wing social media, contributing to its saturation.

Kunal Purohit, in his book “H-Pop: The Secretive World of Hindutva Pop Stars,” describes this shift: “It provides ways to disseminate hate and stoke anger against minority groups and rivals each day, without ever becoming a tangible event, like a hate speech rally or a riot.”

This transformation led to a significant change in the media consumption patterns of the Indian populace, as many began seeking alternate viewpoints outside the traditional media framework.

One of the most significant impacts of social media is its ability to engage politically reticent voters, especially those silenced by fear. Influencers from various backgrounds, including local communities, have found a voice on platforms like Instagram and YouTube.

For instance, a local Instagram influencer from the Jatav community in Mohanlalganj expressed his growing frustration against the BJP despite maintaining a publicly apolitical stance. “I see and hear everything. If I speak, I will have trouble,” he remarked, highlighting the prevailing environment of fear and the cautious optimism that social media offers a platform for dissent.

The youth, once a core support base for Modi, have also turned to social media to voice their dissatisfaction. Frustrated by the lack of job opportunities and the government’s unmet promises, many educated young people have shifted their allegiance, a trend evident in the electoral outcomes of regions like Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh.

Social media influencers play a crucial role in shaping political discourse. Algorithms on platforms like YouTube and Facebook amplify content that gains rapid popularity, helping critical voices reach a wider audience. Dhruv Rathee, a prominent YouTube content creator, exemplifies this trend. His video “Is India becoming a DICTATORSHIP?” has garnered over 25 million views, underscoring the significant reach of political content on social media.

The BJP, recognizing the power of influencers, has strategically engaged with them to promote its narratives. Influencers like Chandni Bhagat, who initially created devotional content, have seamlessly integrated political messages into their posts.

Bhagat, with over 200,000 Instagram followers, has become a part of the BJP’s broader strategy to appeal to young and digitally connected voters.

The BJP is not alone in leveraging social media influencers. The Indian National Congress (INC) and other political parties have also embraced this strategy. Vaibhav Walia, who manages social media communications for the INC, acknowledges the importance of influencers in amplifying their messages.

“We try to reach out to like-minded people and many of them have been posting for us,” he said, emphasizing the role of influencers in voicing opinions aligned with the party’s ideology.

This bipartisan approach underscores the growing recognition of social media’s influence on public opinion. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) have also enlisted influencers to promote their initiatives, highlighting the widespread adoption of this strategy across the political spectrum.

Local influencers, with their hyper-local reach, are crucial in shaping political narratives at the grassroots level. Samyak Jain, a travel content creator with 110,000 Instagram followers, has participated in several BJP influencer meetings. These interactions provide influencers with insights into the party’s policies and achievements, which they then share with their audiences.

The emphasis on local issues, such as infrastructure development, resonates with voters on a personal level. Kumar Saurav, founder of Savin Communication, explains, “Elections in India are won at a grassroots level and these influencers are known very well in those regions.”

While the rise of social media as a political tool offers opportunities for democratizing information and engaging voters, it also raises significant challenges. One of the primary concerns is the spread of misinformation and fake news. The algorithms that boost popular content can inadvertently amplify false information, posing a risk to informed democratic decision-making.

Transparency is another critical issue. The lack of clarity regarding the financial relationships between influencers and political parties blurs the lines between genuine opinion and paid propaganda.

Prateek Waghre, an executive director at the Internet Freedom Foundation, highlights this concern: “We don’t know if there’s a monetary exchange or the expectation of a quid pro quo of some kind — which blurs the lines and brings in the fuzziness.”

The current landscape of social media-driven political campaigning has its roots in the farm protests in New Delhi a few years ago. Online posts played a significant role in amplifying the protests, catching the attention of political parties. Ankit Lal, founder of Politique Advisors, notes, “Influencers and local YouTube news channels had a huge role to play in helping propagate the message. That is something that caught the BJP’s eye.”

With over 20 million voters aged 18-29 and millions more consuming influencer content, political parties recognize the need to engage this demographic through digital platforms. Social media posts, even if they serve as propaganda, humanize politicians and make them more relatable to the public.

As Election 2024 progresses in India, the role of social media in shaping political discourse is undeniable. The shift from traditional media to digital platforms reflects a broader transformation in how information is consumed and disseminated.

While social media offers a space for diverse voices and democratizes political engagement, it also presents challenges related to misinformation and transparency.

The “YouTube election” symbolizes a new era in Indian politics, where digital influencers and social media platforms play a central role in shaping public opinion and influencing electoral outcomes. As the nation navigates this digital landscape, the long-term implications for democracy and the public sphere remain to be seen.

The 2024 election will be a critical test of the power of social media in the world’s largest democracy.

19-05-2024

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