In its own way Facebook has tried to send a message that poll-related material that are devious, fraudulent or simply inappropriate won't be tolerated any longer. After facing image hits in letting the 2016 US election be manipulated by motivated advertisers from Russia and within America, Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook is being proactive in ensuring such politicking doesn't play a role in India’s elections starting April 11. To be fair, Facebook has acted against both national parties even though the numbers pertaining to links with the Congress (687 pages) is alarming. Such a discovery runs counter to protestations from the liberal crowd, as if all such activity is done only by right-wing elements. The Congress must clean up its online act if it's to convince people it can rise above propagandist politics.
The action against coordinated skulduggery, including by the Pakistan Army and its dirty tricks department, as 103 suspicious accounts were blocked, is a further step that should be welcomed. This online ogre of fake news, sponsored content and politically malefic behaviour must be reined in so free choice prevails in crucial activity like voting in a democracy. Left to its own devices, India would have probably used these platforms in the poll slugfest to hurl charges against each other, rather than act responsibly in containing these misleading campaigns that can distort public opinion. Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, all belonging to the Zuckerberg stable, have acted. Over and above this, what we need is concerted national action to point out such inauthentic behaviour, so they may be dismantled by social media platforms. Indian political parties too must act as watchdogs lest they become victims too in this twisted game of spinning tales.
