top of page

By:

Correspondent

23 August 2024 at 4:29:04 pm

Algorithmic Anarchy

The NEET paper leak protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar should have remained a legitimate expression of student anger over the collapse of examination integrity. Instead, as the agitation escalated into clashes with the police, abusive sloganeering and an increasingly radical political campaign, Meta’s algorithms emerged as an invisible force multiplying the unrest. The controversy surrounding the brief removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message to the youth in the aftermath of the...

Algorithmic Anarchy

The NEET paper leak protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar should have remained a legitimate expression of student anger over the collapse of examination integrity. Instead, as the agitation escalated into clashes with the police, abusive sloganeering and an increasingly radical political campaign, Meta’s algorithms emerged as an invisible force multiplying the unrest. The controversy surrounding the brief removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message to the youth in the aftermath of the protests only reinforces that concern. Meta has attributed the takedown to a “technical glitch” and apologised. But when the world’s largest social media platform can temporarily suppress the message of the elected leader of the world’s largest democracy during a politically charged moments, the issue extends well beyond a single deleted post. Who decides what India sees? That question has become impossible to ignore during the Cockroach Janta Party’s protests. Across Instagram and Facebook, users have reported being inundated with CJP videos, reels and protest clips despite never following the organisation or engaging with similar political content. Whether this resulted from coordinated paid collaborations, recommendation algorithms or both deserves a thorough investigation. But the larger democratic concern is that public opinion is increasingly being mediated not by citizens, journalists or elected representatives, but by opaque algorithms designed in Silicon Valley and optimised for engagement rather than democratic responsibility. Meta’s recommendation engine is not a passive notice board. Every piece of political content that reaches millions has first been selected by an algorithm whose workings remain largely hidden from public scrutiny. This is hardly unique to India. Around the world, Meta has repeatedly been accused of amplifying polarisation, misinformation and political extremism because outrage keeps users engaged. From elections to ethnic conflicts and episodes of civil unrest, the company has faced persistent criticism that its commercial incentives reward divisive content over balanced discourse. Democracies cannot afford to outsource the architecture of public debate to corporations whose primary obligation is to shareholders rather than constitutional values. While citizens are entitled to challenge governments and demand accountability, there is an important distinction between a movement that expands because people are persuaded and one that appears to be algorithmically amplified into omnipresence. Equally disturbing has been the normalisation of abusive political language during the protests. When such content is repeatedly amplified through recommendation systems, platforms cease to be neutral intermediaries and become active participants in degrading democratic discourse. Platforms that influence elections, protests and public opinion must explain how political recommendations are generated and why particular narratives receive extraordinary amplification. Silicon Valley companies insist they are merely technology platforms. But their algorithms increasingly exercise editorial power. When software determines which protests dominate national conversations and whose voices disappear, technology has already become politics.

Citizens to raise Rs 43 cr for social good at Tata Marathon

Tata Marathon

Mumbai: The journey of the Tata Mumbai Marathon has been transformative since its inception and has redefined the health, fitness, and giving paradigm in India …Change Began Here. As we begin the countdown to the landmark 20th edition of the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2025, 269 NGOs, corporates, and citizens have collectively raised INR 43 crores to date. Fundraising for the event continues until Wednesday, 5 February 2025.


Spearheaded by United Way Mumbai, the event’s Philanthropy Partner, the Tata Mumbai Marathon has established itself as the country’s single largest sporting platform for philanthropy, raising over Rs 429 crores for 740 NGOs with the support of 600 corporates. This remarkable convergence of runners, donors, NGOs, and corporations continues to drive social change and empower communities nationwide.


George Aikara, CEO, of United Way Mumbai, said: As the Philanthropy Partner since 2009, we’ve seen the marathon evolve into a powerful force for social change. This year’s record-breaking turnout of 13,000 individuals alone running through charity, showcases TMM’s unique ability to inspire and engage.


Already, more than 222 fundraisers have raised over Rs 1 lakh each on the platform, and the average fundraiser has brought in Rs 2 lakh for causes spanning health, education, gender equality, and more. These numbers are a testament to the growing enthusiasm among participants. A special mention to the 6 ‘Change Legends’ – Ms Villy Doctor, Dr Bijal Mehta, Meera Mehta, Sunit Kothari, Shyam Jasani and Utppal Mehta – who have each raised over Rs 1 crore, making a lasting impact.


What’s exciting this year is that we also saw a significant increase in corporate participation, with businesses rallying their teams to fundraise and run together, reflecting the growing trend of companies leveraging the TMM platform to champion social responsibility.”


However, a panel of top fundraisers, NGO leaders, and young philanthropists shared their stories of fundraising and impact. Dr Bijal Mehta, an ophthalmologist and trustee of Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care (SRLC), emerged as one of the highest fundraisers, collecting astounding Rs 1.5 crores for the same NGO. Her efforts will support SRLC’s work in making education accessible in rural India and also supporting animal care and health. “The TMM provides us with an incredible platform to reach supporters and turn our vision into reality. Every two years, we’ve been able to create robust infrastructure and oversee more than 75 projects, leveraging this platform to bring about meaningful change,” she said.


Joining her was Shivaprasad Khened, Trustee of ADHAR (An Association of Parents of Mentally Challenged Adults) Home, and also a parent of an adult with intellectual disabilities. Sharing his journey of raising funds for the organisation he added, “Intellectual disabilities, particularly in adults is a cause that’s often misunderstood, and platforms like the TMM help bridge that gap in spreading visibility and awareness of intellectual disability, an area that is still underrepresented in discussions around mental health.”

Comments

bottom of page