Media Manipulation in the Indian Context

Author: Sanjana Rajgarhia
 

Abstract

Access to high-quality information and an ability for citizens to come together to discuss and deliberate are integral elements of a democratic society.

In the Indian context, access to news has improved dramatically in the recent past (thanks to the rapid growth in internet services). However, there is widespread concern around the quality of online news (Reuters Study 2019).

One potential driver behind the deterioration of online news quality and political discourse is media manipulation. According to Data & Society, media manipulation is the “effort to exploit technical, social, economic, and institutional configurations of media to catalyze social change, sow dissent, and challenge the stability of social institutions.” Manipulators are motivated by a desire to do one or more of the following: spread ideologies, make money, gain status and attention. They deploy a variety of tactics— doctored photos, forged documents, viral slogans, etc.—to achieve their objectives. Manipulation takes place on a variety of participatory spaces online, including mainstream social media sites.

This study analyzes media manipulation in India and its impact on online news and political discourse.

• Kashmir was selected as a lens through which to study the problem. Kashmir is a divisive topic in Indian politics. The Modi government’s decision to strip Jammu & Kashmir of its statehood through the abrogation of Article 370 brought the region to the forefront of the news starting mid-2019. Severe restrictions placed on internet and mobile services, movement of people and freedom of the press left questions about the quality of information available to the public.
• Twitter was chosen as the platform for investigation: Unlike other platforms, its data is easily accessible through the API, it is a relevant space for political discourse in India and has seen media manipulation attempts in the past.
• Two specific types of manipulation—driving division and polarization and spreading progovernment propaganda—were selected as focus areas. Driving division and polarization in society was observed through the use of derogatory terms against liberals and government critics. Spreading pro-government propaganda was studied through the portrayal of the situation in Kashmir in late-2019 as “normal” (despite the enforcement of several restrictions, as described above).

This study explores the phenomenon of media manipulation through two broad questions. 

• Evidence: Is there evidence of media manipulation in the online news ecosystem in India? Who are the influential players? What tactics do these stakeholder groups employ?
• Repercussions: Do these tactics violate platform policies? Are actions being taken against them? Using ~3.5 million tweets downloaded via the Twitter API in Q4 2019, the study finds that media manipulation is a widespread and worrying phenomenon in India.