| Topic: GS2 – Indian Polity |
| Context |
● The Election Commission of India instructs political parties to responsibly use social media in elections, warning against misinformation and deep fakes. ● Parties must remove offensive content within three hours from notification, adhere to legal frameworks, and report violations to platforms and the Grievance Appellate Committee. |
Analysis of the news:
- The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued directives to political parties regarding the responsible and ethical use of social media during election campaigning to ensure fair competition.
- Parties must adhere to existing legal provisions, including the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Indian Penal Code, and the Representation of People Act, 1950 and 1951, as well as the Model Code of Conduct.
- They are specifically warned against the use of AI-based tools to create deep fakes and dissemination of misinformation.
| What Are Deep Fakes? |
● Deep fakes are synthetic media created using artificial intelligence techniques. ● They involve manipulating audio, images, or videos to make it appear as if someone said or did something they didn’t. ● Deep fakes can convincingly depict people doing or saying things that never happened. ● They often involve face swapping or voice cloning technology to create realistic but fake content. ● Deep fakes raise concerns about misinformation, as they can be used to spread false information or manipulate public opinion. ● They also pose challenges for detecting and combating fake content online. |
- Prohibited actions include circulating false or misleading information, derogatory content towards women, using children in campaigns, and depicting violence or harm to animals.
- Parties must promptly remove any such content within three hours of being notified, take action against responsible individuals within their party, report unlawful information and fake accounts to platforms, and escalate persistent issues to the Grievance Appellate Committee under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
| How social media can affect elections? |
Pros: ● Increased Voter Engagement: Social media platforms encourage political discussion and engagement among voters, leading to increased awareness and participation in elections. ● Accessibility: Social media provides a platform for political candidates to reach a wide audience at relatively low costs, levelling the playing field for candidates with limited resources. ● Transparency: Social media allows for greater transparency in political campaigns, as candidates can directly communicate their platforms and policies to voters without intermediaries. ● Real-Time Updates: Voters can receive real-time updates on campaign events, debates, and news through social media, enabling them to make informed decisions. ● Community Building: Social media fosters online communities of like-minded individuals, allowing voters to connect with others who share their political views and mobilise support for specific candidates or causes. Cons: ● Misinformation: Social media platforms can be used to spread false or misleading information, influencing voter perceptions and undermining the integrity of elections. ● Polarisation: Echo chambers on social media can reinforce existing biases and polarise political discourse, leading to increased divisiveness and hostility among voters. ● Foreign Interference: Hostile actors may exploit social media to spread disinformation or interfere in elections, posing threats to electoral integrity and democratic processes. ● Privacy Concerns: Social media users’ personal data may be harvested and exploited for targeted political advertising without their consent, raising concerns about privacy and manipulation. ● Algorithmic Bias: Social media algorithms may prioritise sensational or divisive content, amplifying extreme viewpoints and suppressing moderate voices, exacerbating polarisation and undermining democracy. |
| PYQ: Use of Internet and social media by non-state actors for subversive activities is a major concern. How have these have misused in the recent past? Suggest effective guidelines to curb the above threat. (200 words/12.5m) (UPSC CSE (M) GS-3 2016) |
| Practice Question: Discuss the potential impact of social media on electoral processes, highlighting its role in shaping public opinion, political discourse, and voter behaviour. Assess the challenges posed by misinformation, deep fakes, and polarising content, and suggest measures to ensure the integrity and fairness of elections in the digital age. (250 Words /15 marks) |
