If trends tell a story, Facebook and Twitter users may be the new votebank Indian politicos have to worry about. And that is a fair enough assertion too, as we have just witnessed an election with several firsts to its credit. Not only is it the first time that several millions of youth are voting, it is also the first occasion where the campaign spends on all forms on online digital media of political parties were second only to the USA.
Social Media was an important cog in the elections just gone by; allowing politicians from parties big or small to reach out to the minds of the people directly, conveniently bypassing any semblance of bias or arrogance from conventional media such as television. The 2009 Lok Sabha did not see as much mobile and Social Media penetration. So much so, that the FICCI Frames annual report did not have a 'new media' section until 2011.
According to the said report, the total number of Internet users in India is 214 million, out of which 130 million also access the medium through their mobile phones. It took a decade for the country to grow this base from 10 to 50 million, but only three to double it to a 100 million, says the report. The age group of 18 through 24 years are the most vocal in the metros, but the maximum growth is being witnessed from tier two and three towns, a scary prospect from top honchos across all political spheres, urging them to not mess up on the online front in the slightest lest they shell a couple of million votes across the country.
Naturally, TV networks too don't want to be left behind, and are pulling out all stops to get viewers hooked onto the second screen. CNN-IBN has a tie up with Microsoft and Google; ABP News and Aaj Tak are using their intense Social Media following; Times Now and CNBC-TV18 have tie ups with Twitter; while NDTV depends on its own proprietary material such as its app which has over six million downloads as of the start of May 2014.
In essence, the fact that news travels and gets consumed faster through Social Media means that it is effectively used for content dissemination and to provide breaking news. 'Viral' and 'trends' are the new operative words of our era, and long may it continue - as India's mobile and Internet penetration sharpens and connections become better and cheaper, political parties, voters and news channels alike will have to stay attuned to a digital landscape that serves their interests, but also constantly changes over time.
