Saving our elections from manipulation: Regulatory agenda for social media

Business Standard Saving our elections from manipulation: Regulatory agenda for social media

Many in India are experiencing the Internet for the very first time without being immunised through previous exposure, which makes it harder for them to determine the truth value of online content

Economy & Policy: I was six when my parent took me to see my first movie -- the 1937 animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Since I was raised in a home without television, the moving picture had a profound visceral effect on me.

As the tension built, I was completely overwhelmed by the sound and the evil laughter of the queen, and my unabated high-decibel reaction to what was happening on screen greatly annoyed the other patrons, forcing my parents to leave the cinema hall. Today, I watch with admiration as six-yearolds sit unmoved through hyper-realistic gruesome action and horror movies. This is because they have had screens surround them ever since they were born and are therefore less impacted by the digital content they consume.

There are many in our country who are similarly experiencing the Internet for the very first time without the advantage of being immunised through previous exposure. Many of them are illiterate, which makes it harder for them to determine the truth value of online content.

This potential for manipulation through digital media has a “novelty effect� which reduces with time. Therefore, it is important that we don’t overregulate social media based on the current impact on citizenry...Read More