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Correspondent

23 August 2024 at 4:29:04 pm

Platform Politics

Meta’s apology to the Government of India revives the uncomfortable question of who really controls the flow of political information in today’s turbulent times, the voter or the platform? When the world’s largest social media company admits that it wrongly restricted Prime Minister Modi’s post during a volatile moment in Indian democracy, the issue extends far beyond a single moderation error. Meta’s chief global affairs officer, Joel Kaplan, apologised to Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw...

Platform Politics

Meta’s apology to the Government of India revives the uncomfortable question of who really controls the flow of political information in today’s turbulent times, the voter or the platform? When the world’s largest social media company admits that it wrongly restricted Prime Minister Modi’s post during a volatile moment in Indian democracy, the issue extends far beyond a single moderation error. Meta’s chief global affairs officer, Joel Kaplan, apologised to Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for restricting the PM’s post, attributing the incident to an ‘operational’ mistake. That explanation does not answer the larger concerns surrounding Meta’s role in shaping political narratives in India. Technology companies insist that they are neutral conduits. But experience suggests otherwise. Their algorithms decide what millions see, what remains invisible and what goes viral. As was evinced in protests in Nepal and Bangladesh, those decisions have influenced public opinion profoundly as any political campaign. These questions are particularly serious given the allegations surrounding the campaign mounted by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), which spearheaded the protests over the NEET paper leak. The degeneration of the protests has raised strong suspicions that the protests were hardly organic but receiving paid amplification on social media. Public opinion in a democracy should be shaped by genuine public sentiment and not by opaque algorithms operating inside corporate headquarters thousands of kilometres away. This is not simply about Narendra Modi or the BJP. It is about India’s sovereignty over its own democratic conversation. Elections, protests and political debates must be decided by Indians, not by Western recommendation engines whose workings remain secret and whose executives answer primarily to shareholders in California. If Meta has nothing to hide, it should voluntarily disclose whether content relating to the CJP protests received preferential treatment, whether any exceptional amplification occurred, who authorised it and under what policies. Transparency, and not carefully worded apologies, is the only credible response. No democracy can permit foreign technology companies to become unelected arbiters of its political discourse. When they amplify selectively, they risk manufacturing political momentum that appears organic but may not be. The concern is not confined to one company. Increasingly, global technology corporations possess powers once reserved for states. They curate information, moderate speech, recommend narratives and determine digital visibility for billions. Yet they operate with limited public accountability. That imbalance between influence and responsibility is becoming one of the defining democratic challenges of the digital age. If Meta can inadvertently silence the elected Indian Prime Minister, we are entitled to ask what else its invisible systems may have amplified, buried or shaped without their knowledge.

Ranveer Allahbadia posts first video since 'India's Got Latent' row: 'Now you will see a new Ranveer'

  • PTI
  • Mar 30, 2025
  • 3 min read

New Delhi: After this full stop, I'm trying to write a new story, said social media influencer Ranveer Allahbadia on Sunday as he returned to social media a month after his comments on "India's Got Latent" sparked a major controversy.


In a new video, titled "Let's Talk" and posted on his official YouTube page, Allahbadia said his podcast "The Ranveer Show" will return soon and pledged to create content with added responsibility hereon.


"There was a forced break, which gave me time to embrace stillness. I got to know that so many Indians consider me a family member... To all of them, sorry. In the next 10, 20, 30 years, as long as I create content, I will do it with more responsibility," Allahbadia said.


"...After this full stop, I'm trying to write a new story. I hope you will all support me and my team in this new phase. All I want to say is thank you... Now you will see a new Ranveer... the podcast will return very soon," he added.


Allahbadia, one of the most influential podcasters with over 16 million followers across social media platforms, landed in a major controversy last month over his comment on parents and sex at Samay Raina's comedy show "India's Got Latent".


He apologised the next day but the controversy refused to die down with multiple police complaints filed against him and those involved with the show.


The Supreme Court granted him interim protection from arrest, though it termed his remarks "vulgar". He was allowed to resume his show by the apex court earlier this month.


Allahabadia said the quality of the podcast will keep improving and he will continue to post four episodes every week.


"In this restarting phase of 'TRS', to all the people who have been supporting till now, there is just one request, make a place for me in your hearts if possible. Give me one more chance.


"I like content creation a lot, I like podcasting a lot, to explore the history and culture of our country, that's my passion. That's what I am doing through my job and that's what I want to do."


Speaking about the tough phase he went through, Allahbadia said he doesn't consider it as a punishment.


"It's a learning, a transformation. God has given so much till now and so I consider this phase also as a gift. It came into my life for the sake of my growth and my transformation. Now I will just let my work speak. I will let my work speak," he said.


He also thanked people who reached out to him after the controversy.


"Your positive messages have helped me and my family immensely during this difficult phase. It was a tough time, facing open violent threats, overwhelming online hatred and countless media articles. Amidst all of this, your DMs provided us with immense support," he added.


Allahbadia said a team of 300 people worked for his show and none of them have resigned in the aftermath of the controversy.


"My entire team has supported me, my entire family has supported me. From the team not even a single person resigned throughout this phase. All our professional associates, business associates, they also supported us. Thank you again," he said.


The podcaster also returned on Instagram and posted a photo with his team.


"Thank you to my loved ones. Thank you universe. A new blessed chapter begins - Rebirth..." Allahabadia wrote in the caption.

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