India’s IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has issued a strong message to digital platforms, urging them to fairly share revenue with content creators. Warning that voluntary compliance is preferable, Vaishnaw said India may explore legal frameworks if platforms fail to reform their revenue models.

The minister raised concerns about eroding trust, the rise of synthetic and AI-generated content, and the need to protect original creators. He stressed that original content must be properly compensated to safeguard the growth of arts, science, and innovation in India’s rapidly expanding digital economy.

Indian Govt Warns Digital Platforms: Compensate Publishers or Face Legal Route

Newspapers have been the most essential source for learning valuable information and developments across the world. However, in recent years, newspapers have seen a sharp decline in popularity as digital media takes over the globe. In a time when social media platforms have become the primary source of news for the majority of people, a media organisation in the United States has decided to stop printing its 150-year-old newspaper and “fully transition to a digital-only model” by the end of this year.The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) announced on Thursday (Aug 28) that it will cease the production of its printed newspaper after December 31, 2025. The organisation, which has been among the most essential in Georgia for more than 150 years, will completely turn to a digital news outlet on January 1, 2026.According to AJC, the move reflects the organisation’s continued investment in its digital transformation as the outlet intends to “accelerate an ambitious, long-term growth strategy to transform the AJC from a storied daily newspaper into a modern media company.”Andrew Morse, President and Publisher of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, said that the news industry is being overturned by rapidly evolving technology and consumer behaviour.“We knew this day would come and have been planning for it. Many more people engage with our digital platforms and products today than with our print edition, and that shift is only accelerating. Fully embracing our digital future will ensure our investment in distinctive journalism will have the greatest impact for years to come,” Morse said.Over the last two years, the AJC bolstered its efforts to expand and modernise its newsroom. The organisation invested in its digital product, while also launching newsletters, podcasts, and original video content. The outlet further expanded its scale by focusing on digital subscriber growth, widening its coverage, and opening new bureaus in Athens, Macon, and Savannah.“We are not stepping away from our readers—we’re stepping forward with them,” said Leroy Chapman, the Editor-in-Chief of the media organisation. “Our mission remains unchanged. This is about continuing to build a newsroom that delivers essential journalism smarter, more sustainably, and that serves communities across generations in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.”Cox Enterprises, the parent company of AJC, bought the Atlanta Journal in 1939 and the Constitution in 1950. In 2001, the company merged the two papers under the same masthead. The firm also owns other media outlets, including the Dayton Daily News, through Cox First Media. But they remain separate operating entities and unaffected by this decision.Alex Taylor, chairman and CEO of Cox Enterprises, said while he would miss the nostalgia of seeing the paper in his driveway every morning, the “change will allow us to reduce the use of trees, plastic, water and carbon, while at the same time increasing our focus on news gathering and public accountability.”

According to AJC, the move reflects the organisation’s continued investment in its digital transformation as the outlet intends to “accelerate an ambitious, long-term growth strategy to transform the AJC from a storied daily newspaper into a modern media company.”

Newspapers have been the most essential source for learning valuable information and developments across the world. However, in recent years, newspapers have seen a sharp decline in popularity as digital media takes over the globe. In a time when social media platforms have become the primary source of news for the majority of people, a media organisation in the United States has decided to stop printing its 150-year-old newspaper and “fully transition to a digital-only model” by the end of this year. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) announced on Thursday (Aug 28) that it will cease the production of its printed newspaper after December 31, 2025. The organisation, which has been among the most essential in Georgia for more than 150 years, will completely turn to a digital news outlet on January 1, 2026. According to AJC, the move reflects the organisation’s continued investment in its digital transformation as the outlet intends to “accelerate an ambitious, long-term growth strategy to transform the AJC from a storied daily newspaper into a modern media company.” Andrew Morse, President and Publisher of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, said that the news industry is being overturned by rapidly evolving technology and consumer behaviour. “We knew this day would come and have been planning for it. Many more people engage with our digital platforms and products today than with our print edition, and that shift is only accelerating. Fully embracing our digital future will ensure our investment in distinctive journalism will have the greatest impact for years to come,” Morse said. Over the last two years, the AJC bolstered its efforts to expand and modernise its newsroom. The organisation invested in its digital product, while also launching newsletters, podcasts, and original video content. The outlet further expanded its scale by focusing on digital subscriber growth, widening its coverage, and opening new bureaus in Athens, Macon, and Savannah. “We are not stepping away from our readers—we’re stepping forward with them,” said Leroy Chapman, the Editor-in-Chief of the media organisation. “Our mission remains unchanged. This is about continuing to build a newsroom that delivers essential journalism smarter, more sustainably, and that serves communities across generations in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.” Cox Enterprises, the parent company of AJC, bought the Atlanta Journal in 1939 and the Constitution in 1950. In 2001, the company merged the two papers under the same masthead. The firm also owns other media outlets, including the Dayton Daily News, through Cox First Media. But they remain separate operating entities and unaffected by this decision. Alex Taylor, chairman and CEO of Cox Enterprises, said while he would miss the nostalgia of seeing the paper in his driveway every morning, the “change will allow us to reduce the use of trees, plastic, water and carbon, while at the same time increasing our focus on news gathering and public accountability.”

According to AJC, the move reflects the organisation’s continued investment in its digital transformation as the outlet intends to “accelerate an ambitious, long-term growth strategy to transform the AJC from a storied daily newspaper into a modern media company.”

‘We knew this day would come...’: This 150-year-old US newspaper is stopping printing for THIS reason

Reporters Without Borders, often known by its French acronym RSF said in a report that unregulated online content has helped spread disinformation and propaganda that have in turn led to widening of political divisions and even caused international tension contributing to Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The media watchdog presented its findings in the 2022 edition of its annual World Press Freedom Index

The report said that democratic societies are increasingly being fractured by disinformation spreading social media while mainstream media pursues a "Fox News model". This is a reference to US right-wing television network.

The report noted that autocratic regimes were tightening control on information within their societies. This leverage, is in turn used to wage "propaganda wars" against democracies and fuel divisions within them.

Such polarisation is becoming more "extreme," worldwide, RSF's director of operations and campaigns Rebecca Vincent told a news conference in London.

Vincent pointed to deaths of journalists in Netherlands, Greece and also mentioned case of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who is facing an extradition and trial in US for publication of millions of secret documents.

The report showed how Russia, where state-run media overwhelmingly dominates and independent outlets are largely stifled, waged a propaganda war before its invasion of Ukraine.

Evgeniya Dillendorf, a correspondent for the independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper, said the main reason for lack of media diversity in Russia "is not pressure but lack of independent business which would finance it, and the lack of independent judicial system that would defend it".

Novaya Gazeta has suspended publication for the duration of Moscow's military intervention to avoid being shut down.

"The creation of media weaponry in authoritarian countries eliminates their citizens' right to information but is also linked to the rise in international tension, which can lead to the worst kind of wars," RSF Secretary-General Christophe Deloire said.

The "Fox News-isation" of Western media also posed a "fatal danger for democracies because it undermines the basis of civil harmony and tolerant public debate", he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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Reporters Without Borders, often known by its French acronym RSF said in a report that unregulated online content has helped spread disinformation and propaganda that have in turn led to widening of political divisions and even caused international tension contributing to Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Reporters Without Borders, often known by its French acronym RSF said in a report that unregulated online content has helped spread disinformation and propaganda that have in turn led to widening of political divisions and even caused international tension contributing to Russian invasion of Ukraine. The media watchdog presented its findings in the 2022 edition of its annual World Press Freedom Index The report said that democratic societies are increasingly being fractured by disinformation spreading social media while mainstream media pursues a "Fox News model". This is a reference to US right-wing television network. The report noted that autocratic regimes were tightening control on information within their societies. This leverage, is in turn used to wage "propaganda wars" against democracies and fuel divisions within them. Such polarisation is becoming more "extreme," worldwide, RSF's director of operations and campaigns Rebecca Vincent told a news conference in London. Vincent pointed to deaths of journalists in Netherlands, Greece and also mentioned case of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange who is facing an extradition and trial in US for publication of millions of secret documents. The report showed how Russia, where state-run media overwhelmingly dominates and independent outlets are largely stifled, waged a propaganda war before its invasion of Ukraine. Evgeniya Dillendorf, a correspondent for the independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper, said the main reason for lack of media diversity in Russia "is not pressure but lack of independent business which would finance it, and the lack of independent judicial system that would defend it". Novaya Gazeta has suspended publication for the duration of Moscow's military intervention to avoid being shut down. "The creation of media weaponry in authoritarian countries eliminates their citizens' right to information but is also linked to the rise in international tension, which can lead to the worst kind of wars," RSF Secretary-General Christophe Deloire said. The "Fox News-isation" of Western media also posed a "fatal danger for democracies because it undermines the basis of civil harmony and tolerant public debate", he added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Digital media is causing divisions, fuelling global tensions: Reporters Without Borders

Watch the video to know how the digital media and other communication technologies played a huge role in the resurgence of Taliban.

Taliban's return: Powered by tech?

The Centre has said that if the Supreme Court decides on the issue of media regulation then such an exercise should be undertaken with the digital media first as it has faster reach and information has the potential to go viral due to applications like WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook.

The government told the apex court that sufficient framework and judicial pronouncements exist for the electronic and the print media.

"Considering the serious impact and the potential, it is desirable that if this court decides to undertake the exercise, it should first be undertaken with regard to digital media as there already exists sufficient framework and judicial pronouncements with regard to electronic media and print media," said the counter affidavit, filed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

It is submitted that while in a mainstream media (whether electronic or print), the publication /telecast is a one-time act, the digital media has faster reach from wider range of viewership/ readership and has the potential to become viral because of several electronic applications like Whatsapp, Twitter, Facebook,&nbsp;it said.

The affidavit was filed in a pending matter in which the top court is hearing a petition which has raised grievance over Sudarshan TV's 'Bindas Bol' programme whose promo had claimed that channel would show the 'big expose on conspiracy to infiltrate Muslims in government service'.

A bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud had on September 15 restrained the channel from telecasting its episodes of programme for two days, saying the intent&nbsp;of aired episodes prima facie&nbsp;appears to vilify&nbsp;the community.

The bench had suggested that a committee of apolitical experts of distinguished citizens or former judges may be appointed to help in self-regulating the electronic media specially.

The apex court is scheduled to hear the matter today.

In its affidavit, the Centre has said that subject matter of the present petition namely balancing between the journalist freedom and responsible journalism is a field already occupied either by the statutory provisions made by the Parliament or by the judgments of this court".

"It is respectfully submitted that in view of the issue having already received attention of the Parliament, as well as, of this court, the present petition be confined to only one channel namely Sudarshan TV and this court may not undertake the exercise of laying down any further guidelines with or without appointment of an amicus or a committee of persons as amicus," the affidavit said.

It said that situation in each case shall have to be decided on a case-to-case basis and a broader exercise "which is too general in nature is neither warranted nor permissible."

The affidavit said, "Even if this court considers it appropriate to undertake the said exercise, there is no justification to confine this exercise only to mainstream electronic media. The media includes mainstream electronic media, mainstream print media as well as a parallel media namely digital print media and digital web-based news portal and You Tube channels as well as 'over the top' platforms (OTTs)."

Referring to earlier verdicts delivered by the apex court, the affidavit said it lays down the correct legal proposition requiring no general exercise to be undertaken merely based upon one episode or few episodes of a channel.

Separately, Sudarshan TV has also filed an affidavit in the apex court and claimed that it has no ill-will against any community or any individual and the programme concerns a matter of grave national interest.

The channel claimed that it has used word like 'UPSC Jehad' in its programme as an institute for Muslim UPSC aspirants has received foreign funds, also from those which are linked to organisations that allegedly funds extremist groups.

The Centre has said that if the Supreme Court decides on the issue of media regulation then such an exercise should be undertaken with the digital media first as it has faster reach and information has the potential to go viral due to applications like WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook.

The Centre has said that if the Supreme Court decides on the issue of media regulation then such an exercise should be undertaken with the digital media first as it has faster reach and information has the potential to go viral due to applications like WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook. The government told the apex court that sufficient framework and judicial pronouncements exist for the electronic and the print media. "Considering the serious impact and the potential, it is desirable that if this court decides to undertake the exercise, it should first be undertaken with regard to digital media as there already exists sufficient framework and judicial pronouncements with regard to electronic media and print media," said the counter affidavit, filed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It is submitted that while in a mainstream media (whether electronic or print), the publication /telecast is a one-time act, the digital media has faster reach from wider range of viewership/ readership and has the potential to become viral because of several electronic applications like Whatsapp, Twitter, Facebook, it said. The affidavit was filed in a pending matter in which the top court is hearing a petition which has raised grievance over Sudarshan TV's 'Bindas Bol' programme whose promo had claimed that channel would show the 'big expose on conspiracy to infiltrate Muslims in government service'. A bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud had on September 15 restrained the channel from telecasting its episodes of programme for two days, saying the intent of aired episodes prima facie appears to vilify the community. The bench had suggested that a committee of apolitical experts of distinguished citizens or former judges may be appointed to help in self-regulating the electronic media specially. The apex court is scheduled to hear the matter today. In its affidavit, the Centre has said that subject matter of the present petition namely balancing between the journalist freedom and responsible journalism is a field already occupied either by the statutory provisions made by the Parliament or by the judgments of this court". "It is respectfully submitted that in view of the issue having already received attention of the Parliament, as well as, of this court, the present petition be confined to only one channel namely Sudarshan TV and this court may not undertake the exercise of laying down any further guidelines with or without appointment of an amicus or a committee of persons as amicus," the affidavit said. It said that situation in each case shall have to be decided on a case-to-case basis and a broader exercise "which is too general in nature is neither warranted nor permissible." The affidavit said, "Even if this court considers it appropriate to undertake the said exercise, there is no justification to confine this exercise only to mainstream electronic media. The media includes mainstream electronic media, mainstream print media as well as a parallel media namely digital print media and digital web-based news portal and You Tube channels as well as 'over the top' platforms (OTTs)." Referring to earlier verdicts delivered by the apex court, the affidavit said it lays down the correct legal proposition requiring no general exercise to be undertaken merely based upon one episode or few episodes of a channel. Separately, Sudarshan TV has also filed an affidavit in the apex court and claimed that it has no ill-will against any community or any individual and the programme concerns a matter of grave national interest. The channel claimed that it has used word like 'UPSC Jehad' in its programme as an institute for Muslim UPSC aspirants has received foreign funds, also from those which are linked to organisations that allegedly funds extremist groups.

Regulate digital media first, sufficient framework exists on print, electronic media: Centre to SC

Social media giant Facebook Saturday said it aims to train five million people on skills to help them use the digital media to expand their business and access global markets.

The US-based company, which counts India as one of its largest markets, has already trained about one million people through its various initiatives.

"Facebook is committed to enabling small businesses to reach the global economy, and we are partnering with various organisations to reach out to people. We are committed to training 5 million people with digital skills and global market access by 2021," Facebook Public Policy Director (India, South and Central Asia) Ankhi Das told reporters here.

She added that with 10 ongoing programs, Facebook has already trained one million people across 150 cities and 48,000 villages with support from 50 partners.&nbsp;

These efforts -- where the users are trained on using Facebook and photo-sharing platform, Instagram to build their business - are being organised under Facebook's Community Boost programme.

"At Facebook, we want to ensure that the benefits of connectivity are realised by everyone, everywhere, in India. Our mission at Facebook is to empower local entrepreneurs with digital skills so that they can grow their business," she said.

The training modules for these businesses in digital marketing and online safety -- developed by Facebook -- are available in 14 local languages.&nbsp;

Facebook's programme reaches 29 states in India and has received strong response in states like Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Punjab, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Odisha and Rajasthan among others.

Asked about steps being taken to curb abusive and hate speech on the platform, including those for businesses, Das said the company has already taken down over 1.5 billion pieces of content this year that was in that realm.

"We take the issue of hate speech, abuse very seriously... We are cognizant of our responsibility... We have partnered with civil society organisations to (jointly) work on community education. Apart from a big team of reviewers globally, we are also deploying AI (artificial intelligence) tool to flag such content," she explained.

On political ads, Das said the issue is an important one and the company is working on it.&nbsp;

Facebook vice president for public policy Richard Allan had, in October, had said the company will unveil a political ads archive for India before the 2019 general elections.&nbsp;

This, he had said, would allow civil society to be able to go and see what activity is taking place and if there is anything suspicious, they can ask questions.

Social media giant Facebook Saturday said it aims to train five million people on skills to help them use the digital media to expand their business and access global markets.

Social media giant Facebook Saturday said it aims to train five million people on skills to help them use the digital media to expand their business and access global markets. The US-based company, which counts India as one of its largest markets, has already trained about one million people through its various initiatives. "Facebook is committed to enabling small businesses to reach the global economy, and we are partnering with various organisations to reach out to people. We are committed to training 5 million people with digital skills and global market access by 2021," Facebook Public Policy Director (India, South and Central Asia) Ankhi Das told reporters here. She added that with 10 ongoing programs, Facebook has already trained one million people across 150 cities and 48,000 villages with support from 50 partners. These efforts -- where the users are trained on using Facebook and photo-sharing platform, Instagram to build their business - are being organised under Facebook's Community Boost programme. "At Facebook, we want to ensure that the benefits of connectivity are realised by everyone, everywhere, in India. Our mission at Facebook is to empower local entrepreneurs with digital skills so that they can grow their business," she said. The training modules for these businesses in digital marketing and online safety -- developed by Facebook -- are available in 14 local languages. Facebook's programme reaches 29 states in India and has received strong response in states like Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Punjab, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Odisha and Rajasthan among others. Asked about steps being taken to curb abusive and hate speech on the platform, including those for businesses, Das said the company has already taken down over 1.5 billion pieces of content this year that was in that realm. "We take the issue of hate speech, abuse very seriously... We are cognizant of our responsibility... We have partnered with civil society organisations to (jointly) work on community education. Apart from a big team of reviewers globally, we are also deploying AI (artificial intelligence) tool to flag such content," she explained. On political ads, Das said the issue is an important one and the company is working on it. Facebook vice president for public policy Richard Allan had, in October, had said the company will unveil a political ads archive for India before the 2019 general elections. This, he had said, would allow civil society to be able to go and see what activity is taking place and if there is anything suspicious, they can ask questions.

Facebook to train 5 million people in India with digital skills by 2021

Former US president Barack Obama is reportedly in talks with streaming service giant Netflix to produce a series of shows.

The number of episodes and the format of the show has not been decided yet.

Media reports say after leaving White House Obama has always planned to pursue digital media venture.

Michelle Obama, his wife and former first lady, will also be involved in the production of shows.

According to reports, the series would provide the former president with a &#39;&#39;global platform&#39;&#39; to communicate with a larger audience.

Obama earlier discussed producing shows that will highlight inspirational stories.

In another show, Obama would moderate discussions on topics related to his presidency such as healthcare, immigration, voting rights and climate change along with Michelle Obama.

The final deal is yet to be finalised&nbsp;as the negotiations are still underway.

 
&nbsp;

The number of episodes and the format of the show is still being worked out

Former US president Barack Obama is reportedly in talks with streaming service giant Netflix to produce a series of shows. The number of episodes and the format of the show has not been decided yet. Media reports say after leaving White House Obama has always planned to pursue digital media venture. Michelle Obama, his wife and former first lady, will also be involved in the production of shows. According to reports, the series would provide the former president with a ''global platform'' to communicate with a larger audience. Obama earlier discussed producing shows that will highlight inspirational stories. In another show, Obama would moderate discussions on topics related to his presidency such as healthcare, immigration, voting rights and climate change along with Michelle Obama. The final deal is yet to be finalised as the negotiations are still underway.

Barack Obama in talks with Netflix for production deal

When Narendra Modi was elected in early 2014, the media declared him &ldquo;India&rsquo;s<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/e347de5c-e088-11e3-9534-00144feabdc0"> first </a>social<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/e347de5c-e088-11e3-9534-00144feabdc0"> </a>media<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/e347de5c-e088-11e3-9534-00144feabdc0"> </a>prime<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/e347de5c-e088-11e3-9534-00144feabdc0"> </a>minister&rdquo; and compared his approach to technology to that of former<a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/tech/internet/on-social-media-can-pm-narendra-modi-displace-his-good-friend-us-president-barack-obama/articleshow/53565939.cms"> </a>US<a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/tech/internet/on-social-media-can-pm-narendra-modi-displace-his-good-friend-us-president-barack-obama/articleshow/53565939.cms"> </a>president<a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/tech/internet/on-social-media-can-pm-narendra-modi-displace-his-good-friend-us-president-barack-obama/articleshow/53565939.cms"> </a>Barack<a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/tech/internet/on-social-media-can-pm-narendra-modi-displace-his-good-friend-us-president-barack-obama/articleshow/53565939.cms"> </a>Obama. In 2016, Time<a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/pm-modi-on-times-most-influential-people-on-internet-for-second-year"> </a>magazine<a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/pm-modi-on-times-most-influential-people-on-internet-for-second-year"> </a>named<a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/pm-modi-on-times-most-influential-people-on-internet-for-second-year"> </a>Modi one of the 30 most influential people on the internet.

Today, he is the most followed world leader on social media, with more than 40 million Facebook followers. Needless to say, with a social media superstar at the helm, the Indian government was expected to bloom online.

<figure class="align-right "><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/160173/original/image-20170309-21030-eq0hgc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" />
<figcaption>
Modi&rsquo;s profile, March 9 2017. Facebook

But this idea should be advanced cautiously, as certain facts belie the assumption. According to the<a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/09/07/some-americans-dont-use-the-internet-who-are-they"> </a>Pew<a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/09/07/some-americans-dont-use-the-internet-who-are-they"> </a>Research<a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/09/07/some-americans-dont-use-the-internet-who-are-they"> </a>Center, 87% American adults use the internet, while<a href="http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analysis/trai-releases-data-on-internet-usage-subscription-has-grown-9-72-percent-over-previous-year-353824.html"> </a>only<a href="http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analysis/trai-releases-data-on-internet-usage-subscription-has-grown-9-72-percent-over-previous-year-353824.html"> </a>27<a href="http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analysis/trai-releases-data-on-internet-usage-subscription-has-grown-9-72-percent-over-previous-year-353824.html">% of</a> Indians<a href="http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analysis/trai-releases-data-on-internet-usage-subscription-has-grown-9-72-percent-over-previous-year-353824.html"> </a>do. And <a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/06/global-tech-companies-see-indias-vast-offline-population-as-untapped-market">only </a>two<a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/06/global-tech-companies-see-indias-vast-offline-population-as-untapped-market"> in</a> ten<a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/06/global-tech-companies-see-indias-vast-offline-population-as-untapped-market"> </a>Indians regularly use social media platforms, whereas <a href="http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheet/social-media">seven in ten Americans</a> do.
</figcaption>
</figure>

&lsquo;Digital India&rsquo; to connect all citizens

One of the government&rsquo;s priorities main is to get more Indians connected to the web. New Delhi&rsquo;s new programme, &ldquo;Digital India&rdquo;, unifies information and communication technology (ICT) initiatives under one umbrella.

<figure><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_EuwrPIzkcg?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440"></iframe>

<figcaption>
Narendra Modi&rsquo;s first 3D holographic projection speech, November 2012.

The process of building ICTs into governance involves the automation of routine administration jobs such as online passport registration or school application, providing requisite information to citizens, and citizen engagement in policy-making.
</figcaption>
</figure>

The Digital India initiative has seen some significant successes. It has connected<a href="http://www.governancenow.com/views/interview/250000-gram-panchayats-two-year-tall-order"> </a>all<a href="http://www.governancenow.com/views/interview/250000-gram-panchayats-two-year-tall-order"> </a>250,000<a href="http://www.governancenow.com/views/interview/250000-gram-panchayats-two-year-tall-order"> </a>Gram<a href="http://www.governancenow.com/views/interview/250000-gram-panchayats-two-year-tall-order"> Panchayats</a> (local administrative clusters of villages) with fibre optic cables, established<a href="http://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tele-talk/digital-india-making-villages-smart/719"> </a>wifi<a href="http://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tele-talk/digital-india-making-villages-smart/719"> </a>villages<a href="http://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tele-talk/digital-india-making-villages-smart/719"> </a>and<a href="http://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tele-talk/digital-india-making-villages-smart/719"> </a>smart<a href="http://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tele-talk/digital-india-making-villages-smart/719"> </a>cities and created an <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/security-tech/technology/aadhaar-playing-a-huge-role-in-contributing-to-digital-india-programme-neel-ratan-pwc/articleshow/57074193.cms">ecosystem for Aadhaar</a>, India&rsquo;s national biometric identification system. It has also encouraged electronic banking through mobile<a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/wealth/spend/demonetisation-ussd-technology-to-pay-digitally-without-internet/articleshow/55574701.cms"> </a>payments.

<figure><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5ndIt6hBP4M?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440"></iframe>

<figcaption>
A commercial announcing India&rsquo;s first high-speed broadband internet in Idukki, Kerala.

The government also launched an exclusive citizen engagement platform, <a href="https://www.mygov.in/">mygov.in</a>, which currently boasts 4 million registrations, 1.8 million submissions across 599 tasks and 35 million comments.
</figcaption>
</figure>

Given India&rsquo;s infrastructure inadequacies and weak private-public partnerships, these are laudable efforts.

Ministries are letting Modi down

Modi <a href="http://www.firstpost.com/politics/social-modi-all-ministers-to-use-facebook-twitter-to-reach-out-1548135.html">has pushed</a> his ministers to adopt social media platforms as a part of their job. Many agencies have invited the experts and representatives from Facebook, Twitter and Google to attend <a href="http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2016/dec/24/facebook-gets-over-6000-data-requests-from-india-in-first-half-of-2016-1552667.html">consultation meetings</a> (some of which I have attended) and also made data requests.

Today, the Election Commission of India uses<a href="http://www.news18.com/news/tech/election-commission-of-india-partners-with-facebook-to-register-voters-1298951.html"> </a>Facebook<a href="http://www.news18.com/news/tech/election-commission-of-india-partners-with-facebook-to-register-voters-1298951.html"> </a>to<a href="http://www.news18.com/news/tech/election-commission-of-india-partners-with-facebook-to-register-voters-1298951.html"> </a>engage potential and present voters with the democratic process, and most ministry and agency websites are integrated with various digital platforms. It is also common<a href="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/AD4cwD62glIdmqHMdVZ2KN/Agriculture-ministry-scouts-for-a-social-media-manager.html"> to </a>see<a href="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/AD4cwD62glIdmqHMdVZ2KN/Agriculture-ministry-scouts-for-a-social-media-manager.html"> </a>government<a href="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/AD4cwD62glIdmqHMdVZ2KN/Agriculture-ministry-scouts-for-a-social-media-manager.html"> </a>agencies<a href="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/AD4cwD62glIdmqHMdVZ2KN/Agriculture-ministry-scouts-for-a-social-media-manager.html"> </a>advertising to hire social<a href="http://www.disabilityaffairs.gov.in/upload/5678f2a4c6e8cAdvt.%20for%20Social%20Media%20Consultant.pdf"> </a>media<a href="http://www.disabilityaffairs.gov.in/upload/5678f2a4c6e8cAdvt.%20for%20Social%20Media%20Consultant.pdf"> </a>firms in national newspapers.

Social media platforms are part of the larger e-governance effort. At a minimum, the government uses them to get information to citizens and, more gradually, to <a href="https://www.mygov.in/group-issue/public-consultation-e-governance-service-maturity-model/">include user-generated content</a> in governance.

But at present, despite these various actions, social media acts primarily a mere extension of agency homepages. Evidently, many ministries and departments are hesitant to use the pages and accounts they&rsquo;ve started.

Real-time updates are few. Those that occur are thanks to a few savvy <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/modi-sarkar2-who-are-the-most-social-media-savvy-ministers-in-the-modi-cabinet/articleshow/52271864.cms">ministers</a>, including Sushma Swaraj, Minister of External affairs, Piyush Goyal, Minster of Power, and Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Railways.

Some of Twitter interactions have been impressive. Take, for example, the time <a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/trending/trending-in-india/sushma-swaraj-helps-woman-who-was-mugged-in-tanzania-this-time-without-even-being-asked-4505980">Sushma Swaraj directly helped</a> an Indian citizen who was mugged in Tanzania.

However, government social media usage starts to fail when ministers are questioned or criticised by users. It took Modi &ndash; who usually uses Twitter daily &ndash; ten days to tweet about <a href="http://www.dailyo.in/politics/dadri-murder-narendra-modi-twitter-bihar-polls-mann-ki-baat-rss-bjp-muslims-manmohan-singh/story/1/6703.html">the communal violence in Dadri</a>, where a Muslim man <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/Communal-tension-in-Dadri-after-rumours-of-cow-slaughtering/articleshow/49148923.cms">was lynched by a Hindu mob</a> on suspicion of slaughtering a cow.

Lack of credibility

Quickly voicing concerns to other users and trading in genuine uncensored content are major features of social media. If these activities are shaken, either by blocking criticisms or through non-responsiveness, trust and credibility are lost.

If a minister responds to, say, a tweet about <a href="http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai/churchgate-train-crash-suresh-prabhu-panned-for-late-probe-order/story-qcvtA0PLLklbG56iLxYCaP.html">the lack of baby diapers</a> on railway platforms but does not immediately respond to queries about a recent accident, or if <a href="http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/maneka-gandhis-silence-on-jallikattu-row-continues/1/864075.html">a minister keeps mum</a> on violence when she is expected <a href="http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pm-tweets-on-everything-but-silent-on-indians-attacked-in-us-congress/story-PZ9MedhRyfh98kKE3PrsPJ.html">to speak out</a>, the real value that social media could bring to governance is lost.

Citizens may stop following the ministers, or troll them. Both hurt efficiency in e-governance.

<figure class="align-right zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/160188/original/image-20170309-21030-101omth.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/160188/original/image-20170309-21030-101omth.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" /></a>

<figcaption>
MapBox&rsquo;s open-source flood information. <a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mapbox/23381596151/">Mapbox/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a>

&nbsp;
</figcaption>
</figure>

Despite its social media presence, Modi&rsquo;s government has largely failed to move beyond simply disseminating information. In 2015, <a href="http://itra.medialabasia.in/img/Chennai%20Floods-Rapid%20Assessment%20Report-May%2023,%202016.pdf">the </a>Chennai<a href="http://itra.medialabasia.in/img/Chennai%20Floods-Rapid%20Assessment%20Report-May%2023,%202016.pdf"> </a>floods left thousands homeless and killed<a href="http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/northeast-monsoon-claimed-470-lives-in-tamil-nadu-jayalalithaa/article8064661.ece"> </a>almost<a href="http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/northeast-monsoon-claimed-470-lives-in-tamil-nadu-jayalalithaa/article8064661.ece"> </a>500. Well before the government responded, civil society organisations and citizens used social media <a href="https://qz.com/563397/chennai-floods-once-again-social-media-is-helping-indians-while-the-government-flounders">to create live-updated maps</a> of affected areas and tell residents about safe houses and transportation.

<figure class="align-center "><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/160187/original/image-20170309-21056-14cqjxo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" />
<figcaption>Flood waters in Nandanam, Chennai, 2015. <a class="source" href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Chennai_flood_water_logging_near_ofice_nandanam5.jpg">Vijayingarsal/Wikimedia</a></figcaption>
</figure>

&nbsp;

Of censorship, trolls and &lsquo;bhakts&rsquo;

The government is also concerned about its own employees criticising policy initiatives or &ldquo;liking&rdquo; anti-government views. Recently, civil servants <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/no-criticism-of-government-by-officials-on-social-media-proposed-rules/articleshow/53282029.cms">were advised</a> to follow a social media code of conduct (though this <a href="http://meity.gov.in/sites/upload_files/dit/files/Approved%20Social%20Media%20Framework%20and%20Guidelines%20_2_.pdf">framework</a> appears outdated and incomplete).

Government social media use is also co-opted by political party supporters. Called &ldquo;<a href="http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/The-underage-optimist/anatomy-of-an-internet-troll-how-social-media-birthed-a-strange-new-phenomenon-in-india-the-bhakts/">bhakts</a>&rdquo;, or henchmen, these ardent supporters of Modi or of other right-wing political movements have sidetracked any possibilities of healthy discussion. And they are equally matched by their more liberal opponents.

Bhakts are not public officials. But their online activities have blurred the lines between the roles played by political party head and prime minister, reducing the potential positive outcomes of the government&rsquo;s fledgling social media efforts.

To regulate and to serve

There are two main ways that a democratic government approaches the social media sphere: regulation and service provision. Modi&rsquo;s government is in the nascent stages of both.

As a regulator, governments should monitor online activity, policing content and its creators (if needed) without damaging freedom of expression. The Modi administration&rsquo;s regulatory role is being hijacked by partisan trolls who lack training and legitimacy.

As a digital public-service provider, governments should treat online citizens like customers, seeking feedback on services or extending post-service support. When Twitter may be <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/brand-equity/twitter-banking-ground-breaking-or-gimmicky/articleshow/52202088.cms">explored as an e-banking platform</a>, for example, why not use it to book a ticket on India&rsquo;s state-run railroad or apply for a passport?

<img alt="The Conversation" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/73656/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" width="1" />Without better guidelines on playing this role, however, Modi&rsquo;s government agencies will continue to struggle to provide citizen services. As an individual, Prime Minister Modi may be an exceptional social media influencer. But, for now, the same cannot be said about his government.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The </a>Conversation. Read the original<a href="https://theconversation.com/narendra-modi-indias-social-media-star-struggles-to-get-government-online-73656"> </a>article.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

&nbsp;

Modi has pushed his ministers to adopt social media platforms as a part of their job.

When Narendra Modi was elected in early 2014, the media declared him “India’s first social media prime minister” and compared his approach to technology to that of former US president Barack Obama. In 2016, Time magazine named Modi one of the 30 most influential people on the internet. Today, he is the most followed world leader on social media, with more than 40 million Facebook followers. Needless to say, with a social media superstar at the helm, the Indian government was expected to bloom online. Modi’s profile, March 9 2017. Facebook But this idea should be advanced cautiously, as certain facts belie the assumption. According to the Pew Research Center, 87% American adults use the internet, while only 27% of Indians do. And only two in ten Indians regularly use social media platforms, whereas seven in ten Americans do. ‘Digital India’ to connect all citizens One of the government’s priorities main is to get more Indians connected to the web. New Delhi’s new programme, “Digital India”, unifies information and communication technology (ICT) initiatives under one umbrella. Narendra Modi’s first 3D holographic projection speech, November 2012. The process of building ICTs into governance involves the automation of routine administration jobs such as online passport registration or school application, providing requisite information to citizens, and citizen engagement in policy-making. The Digital India initiative has seen some significant successes. It has connected all 250,000 Gram Panchayats (local administrative clusters of villages) with fibre optic cables, established wifi villages and smart cities and created an ecosystem for Aadhaar, India’s national biometric identification system. It has also encouraged electronic banking through mobile payments. A commercial announcing India’s first high-speed broadband internet in Idukki, Kerala. The government also launched an exclusive citizen engagement platform, mygov.in, which currently boasts 4 million registrations, 1.8 million submissions across 599 tasks and 35 million comments. Given India’s infrastructure inadequacies and weak private-public partnerships, these are laudable efforts. Ministries are letting Modi down Modi has pushed his ministers to adopt social media platforms as a part of their job. Many agencies have invited the experts and representatives from Facebook, Twitter and Google to attend consultation meetings (some of which I have attended) and also made data requests. Today, the Election Commission of India uses Facebook to engage potential and present voters with the democratic process, and most ministry and agency websites are integrated with various digital platforms. It is also common to see government agencies advertising to hire social media firms in national newspapers. Social media platforms are part of the larger e-governance effort. At a minimum, the government uses them to get information to citizens and, more gradually, to include user-generated content in governance. But at present, despite these various actions, social media acts primarily a mere extension of agency homepages. Evidently, many ministries and departments are hesitant to use the pages and accounts they’ve started. Real-time updates are few. Those that occur are thanks to a few savvy ministers, including Sushma Swaraj, Minister of External affairs, Piyush Goyal, Minster of Power, and Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Railways. Some of Twitter interactions have been impressive. Take, for example, the time Sushma Swaraj directly helped an Indian citizen who was mugged in Tanzania. However, government social media usage starts to fail when ministers are questioned or criticised by users. It took Modi – who usually uses Twitter daily – ten days to tweet about the communal violence in Dadri, where a Muslim man was lynched by a Hindu mob on suspicion of slaughtering a cow. Lack of credibility Quickly voicing concerns to other users and trading in genuine uncensored content are major features of social media. If these activities are shaken, either by blocking criticisms or through non-responsiveness, trust and credibility are lost. If a minister responds to, say, a tweet about the lack of baby diapers on railway platforms but does not immediately respond to queries about a recent accident, or if a minister keeps mum on violence when she is expected to speak out, the real value that social media could bring to governance is lost. Citizens may stop following the ministers, or troll them. Both hurt efficiency in e-governance. MapBox’s open-source flood information. Mapbox/Flickr, CC BY-SA Despite its social media presence, Modi’s government has largely failed to move beyond simply disseminating information. In 2015, the Chennai floods left thousands homeless and killed almost 500. Well before the government responded, civil society organisations and citizens used social media to create live-updated maps of affected areas and tell residents about safe houses and transportation. Flood waters in Nandanam, Chennai, 2015. Vijayingarsal/Wikimedia Of censorship, trolls and ‘bhakts’ The government is also concerned about its own employees criticising policy initiatives or “liking” anti-government views. Recently, civil servants were advised to follow a social media code of conduct (though this framework appears outdated and incomplete). Government social media use is also co-opted by political party supporters. Called “bhakts”, or henchmen, these ardent supporters of Modi or of other right-wing political movements have sidetracked any possibilities of healthy discussion. And they are equally matched by their more liberal opponents. Bhakts are not public officials. But their online activities have blurred the lines between the roles played by political party head and prime minister, reducing the potential positive outcomes of the government’s fledgling social media efforts. To regulate and to serve There are two main ways that a democratic government approaches the social media sphere: regulation and service provision. Modi’s government is in the nascent stages of both. As a regulator, governments should monitor online activity, policing content and its creators (if needed) without damaging freedom of expression. The Modi administration’s regulatory role is being hijacked by partisan trolls who lack training and legitimacy. As a digital public-service provider, governments should treat online citizens like customers, seeking feedback on services or extending post-service support. When Twitter may be explored as an e-banking platform, for example, why not use it to book a ticket on India’s state-run railroad or apply for a passport? Without better guidelines on playing this role, however, Modi’s government agencies will continue to struggle to provide citizen services. As an individual, Prime Minister Modi may be an exceptional social media influencer. But, for now, the same cannot be said about his government. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: How digital India is finding fruition through social media

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