'In what it claimed was an “exclusive story”, broadcast at around 3.30 pm on October 11, the Times Now channel claimed that Pakistani social media accounts were responsible for the hashtag #GoBackModi trending on Twitter ahead of the Prime Minister’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Chennai... Though many media reports claimed that Pakistani users were behind trending #GoBackModi in India, Twitter trends are region-specific. This means that for a topic to trend in India, users from India need to tweet on the issue.
'Opposition JMM termed it as IAS officers' 'compromise' with the Constitution and 'betrayal' of the country... #JharkhandWithModi was also trending on Twitter for some time. Co-founder of Alt News, Mohammed Zubair tweeted on Thursday late night that at least 79 tweets were posted by Deputy Commissioners posted in Jharkhand. Some deputy commissioners like East Singhbhum DC (twitter handle @DCEastSinghbhum) posted 12 tweets. Besides them, the tweets with #JharkhandWithModi came from other deputy commissioners including DC Pakur, DC Chatra, DC Latehar and DC Koderma...
'Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement leader Shehla Rashid has been booked for sedition over her tweets in which she alleged that the Armed Forces tortured civilians and ransacked houses in the Valley after Jammu and Kashmir’s special status was revoked, police said on Friday. Rashid has called the charge “frivolous, politically motivated and a pathetic attempt to silence” her.
'...During my more than a decade-long career in journalism, I’ve been mobbed by the most relentless and ruthless trolls that inhabit the orbits of Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. From ultra-Zionists to Assadists to New Atheists to the MAGA crowd, I’ve had my replies and private message inboxes overwhelmed by them all. One particular group of an online troll stands out above all others, however, at least in my experience. I’m referring to Modi and BJP/RSS-supporting Hindu nationalists.
'The Jharkhand high court on Friday declined to quash an FIR against four tribals for allegedly ‘seditious’ Facebook posts supporting the Pathalgadi movement of Munda tribal community, according to a report in LiveLaw... The prosecution, arguing that the petitioners had incited hatred and violence, cited Facebook posts by the petitioners which said, “I don’t want your Aaadhar card; My identity is ‘Pathargari'” and “All constitutional steps should be taken so that England, USA and UNs feel compelled to act for the freedom of tribals”.
'Mainstream media was delegitimised over the past five years by the BJP government. Co-option and self-censorship by this media have followed. Alongside, the use of social media has grown hugely, making the likes of Whatsapp powerful weapons in elections.
'On February 26, Ashish Joshi, a department of telecom (DoT) official, was suspended. The suspension came one day after Joshi filed a complaint against Kapil Mishra, a controversial MLA, reporting a Facebook video posted by the latter. In the video, Mishra calls for attacks on several prominent actors, activists and politicians including Barkha Dutt, Prashanth Bhushan, Kamal Hassan and Naseeruddin Shah. He claims these individuals are “enemies of the nation” and that they support Pakistan. Additionally, he suggests that they should be dragged out of their homes onto the streets...'
'Launch a ‘masterstroke’ of questionable effectiveness, make exaggerated claims and then attack those who question your claims as being ‘anti-India’... It was fascinating to view the wave of public approval that greeted the government following India’s airstrikes on Balakot. Celebrities vied with each other in extolling the move. Social media erupted in frenzied jubilation. The media eulogised the firm and decisive nature of the prime minister. Wild claims were floated in the media based on anonymous sources and ‘educated guesses’.
'A dalit professor from Lucknow has faced the ire of the Rajya Karamchari Sahitya Sansthan (State Employees’ Literary Association) for a Facebook post criticising the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). A large number of people including students from all walks of the society came forward to protest against this on the streets of Lucknow streets on Sunday evening (March 10).
'More than 10,000 official WhatsApp groups have been created by a leading political party to slam its rivals on social media, said an expert... If the Cobrapost investigation, which exposed that several Bollywood celebrities were willing to pass views of political parties as personal opinion for money, shook your conscience, there is not much you can do to restrict them from doing so because the relevant Indian law is silent on this matter.
