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Tag: Twitter

  • #ThisHappened: 2018’s Biggest Moments in India on Twitter

    #ThisHappened: 2018’s Biggest Moments in India on Twitter

    MUMBAI: In 2018, people on Twitter connected, campaigned, learned, debated, and had conversations. They came to share opinions and see other points of view. From #MeToo to #Sarkar, #IPL, state elections, and everyday interests, Indians flocked to Twitter to find out what’s happening in the world and to talk about it.

    As we reach the end of 2018, Twitter reflects on the year of national and global significance across topics and regions. Here’s our lists of the topics and accounts Tweeted about the most in the worlds of TV, politics, sports, entertainment, music and social movements in India:

    The Golden Tweets: Most Retweeted and Most Liked

    Indian football team skipper, Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) had an eventful 2018. His appeal to football fans across the country asking them to fill the stadiums in for the Intercontinental Cup 2018 tugged at heartstrings as citizens united to support the home team and earned him the most Retweeted Tweet of the year for 2018. The video Tweet from @chetrisunil11 has been Retweeted almost 60K times:

    https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/B6_4jH4Xt617wO4-qvSVplNRYZPnq2kh37qFnOxPKZsDGq-cjozZE_Qb6771_4Rte7Afae0ycS3c5BEZufWN9Z3sNtht1qq4Pc-1kXIpiJI_68tm1xFVwuKC6SOHnYFuLmpMpXyt

    Embeddable Tweet Link:  https://twitter.com/chetrisunil11/status/1002892448513679361

    Virat Kohli's (@imVkohli) Tweet featuring a picture with Anushka Sharma (@AnushkaSharma) on the occasion of Karvachauth, quite literally won hearts on Twitter. With over 215K Likes, the Tweet showcasing the celebrity couple in ethnic wear emerged as the Most Liked Tweet of 2018*.

    https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/6NuE1mS92jcAQCaNKJQsnk-ZyVWOPSe0VDVnSp4W_4tRT4z5rqefP3wh0A6d06XKjXst-vQQCJT8G0QCFKAL1yYdc3-kAdPjivh8z-npmGEgPoHVFFjjnNHQ2GdjjTw50Q9BxDMa

    Embeddable Tweet Link:  https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/1056235319685722112

    TOP 10 HASHTAGS IN INDIA ON TWITTER IN 2018*

    Tweets and hashtags connect people across the world during key moments in news, politics, entertainment, music and sport. They share joy, humour, news, ideas and opinions about the biggest conversations in real time. In 2018, regional entertainment conversations expanded and generated massive engagement on Twitter in India. South Indian films #Sarkar, #Viswasam, #BharatAneNenu, #AravindhaSametha, #Rangasthalam, #Kaala and TV show #BiggBossTelugu2 clinched 7 of the top 10 Hashtags this year.

    Beyond entertainment, the return of Chennai Super Kings with #WhistlePodu and the emergence of #MeToo in India added to the top hashtag trends. Here are the 10 biggest hashtags in India on Twitter in 2018:

    https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/EuYX5vxJPb3oxD-OutiQceNr9ihYmNrRCqXRJCq5XDV0KIgB1mpwdn-AYraAqNJhHd5ImPMlJrR2dQg73QYi9KJFdNw1J5N-ghbkrZmxcrY_aEqJaZ86qIFVkEwYgrBXtKehROMK

    1. #Sarkar

    Released in 2018, #Sarkar the Tamil film starring Thalapathy Vijay (@actorvijay) has been making massive gains worldwide, winning the appreciation of fans on Twitter. Underlined by a political theme, the buzz around the movie was further amplified with audiences taking to Twitter to express their opinions, and making #Sarkar the top hashtag trend of 2018.

    2. #Viswasam

    Viswasam, the upcoming 2019 Tamil action film featuring Ajith Kumar in a dual role, has started making waves on Twitter. The unveiling of the first look of the film led to the industry and fans Tweeting their excitement, enabling #Viswasam to emerge as a top hashtag on Twitter in anticipation of its launch.

    3. #BharatAneNenu

    The Telugu blockbuster Bharat Ane Nenu was released in 2018 and became one of the biggest hits in the lead actor Mahesh Babu's (@urstrulyMahesh) career so far. The film received positive reviews from the audience and critics, with fans taking to Twitter to celebrate its success.

    4. #AravindhaSametha

    Aravindha Sametha – the 2018 Telugu release broke all records at the box office as the movie minted more than Rs 100 crore in just three days worldwide. Starring Pooja Hegde (@hegdepooja) and Jr NTR (@tarak9999), the movie’s huge success reflected on Twitter as fans voiced their appreciation.

    5. #Rangasthalam

    Rangasthalam is a 2018 Telugu-language period action drama film that became the third highest grossing Telugu movie of all time after the Baahubali series. The success of the film was evident from the volume of conversations on Twitter, with the industry and audiences pouring in their praise and applause earning the film one of the top hashtags of the year.

    6. #Kaala

    The Tamil-language socio-political drama film starring superstar Rajinikanth, #Kaala, evoked a massive response from fans worldwide. The  first-ever Rajinikanth emoji on Twitter further led the movie to be a topic of high interest on Twitter amongst fans, audiences and industry.   

    7. #BiggBossTelugu2

    Now in its second season, the Telugu edition of the reality TV series Bigg Boss continued to be one of the most talked about shows in the world of television in India and on Twitter. 

    8. #MeToo

    The #MeToo movement emerged in India this year. As the hashtags #MeToo and #MeTooIndia continued to trend in the country, people started to pay more attention to women’s safety issues across sections of the Indian society, including government, media and the Bollywood film industry.

    9. #WhistlePodu

    With 2018 being their comeback year, Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) had the crowd chanting #WhistlePodu as they made the dash for the coveted IPL 2018 trophy. Encouraging fans to cheer for the team, @ChennaiIPL made a special video for #WhistlePodu, the colloquial expression in Tamil which means ‘to whistle’, and drove the fans into a Tweeting frenzy with their performance.

    10. #IPL2018

    India’s biggest cricket extravaganza #IPL2018 continued to be a major topic of conversation on Twitter even in its 11th edition. Special Twitter emojis for all the eight franchises this year added to fans’ enthusiasm on Twitter in support of their favourite teams and amplified the cricket excitement on the platform.

    MOST INFLUENTIAL MOMENTS ON TWITTER IN 2018*

    2018 was also the year when Twitter reacted en masse as people demanded #JusticeForAsifa, engaged in ongoing political debates on #KarnatakaElection and #Aadhaar. But it wasn’t just politics and movements that had people Tweeting in 2018. India celebrated #DeepVeer’s romance as well as major wins at global sporting occasions like #AsianGames as Indian athletes, including Bajrang Punia (@BajrangPunia), Hima Das (@HimaDas8) and PV Sindhu (@Pvsindhu), won laurels.

    These are among the most influential moments on Twitter – where Indians went first to get answers or share their opinions around the biggest conversations happening in India and the world throughout 2018:

    https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/5kfgvTDq9MFp2NIXVBjKHQZmg3eNm6lrANgdDVPLXQp9U1XIqjLfinG37vCQLjA6KnCi4kf-sdiazKgK1D2BWIwuTVCPIGoLl_rtq1gJ3cxqZjoFH-yjKw7DsTAaSn9UaeGp0Odl

    ENTERTAINMENT:

    #Sarkar and the rise of regional entertainment

    South Indian film #Sarkar led the rise of regional entertainment conversations on Twitter this year. The film starring Thalapathy Vijay (@actorvijay) earned massive engagement from the film aficionados on Twitter for its star power and generated conversations on its political theme.

    The #DeepVeer Wedding

    From the launch of Padmaavat (@filmPadmaavat) earlier this year to wedding bells in November, celebrity couple Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) and Ranveer Singh (@RanveerOfficial) continued to give people major relationship goals and became the talk of the town on Twitter in 2018.

    NEWS & POLITICS:

    Women speak up against sexual harassment in the #MeToo movement

    The emergence of the #MeToo movement in India saw women across industries speaking out against sexual harassment. The movement has drawn global attention and increased awareness of women’s safety in India, an exemplary representation of hashtag activism.

    Karnataka election

    Twitter saw more than 3 million mentions in relation to the #KarnatakaElections2018 from Apr 25 – May 15, 2018. Despite the fact that the election occurred in one State of India, i.e. Karnataka, discussions on Twitter were vibrant all over the country and even overseas.

    Kerala floods unite the nation

    The #KeralaFloods brought together government agencies, relief organisations, famous personalities and regular people on the platform to help rebuild Kerala. The people utilized Twitter to share information and crowdsource relief and assistance.

    India demands Justice for Asifa

    The heinous crimes committed against 8-year-old Asifa Bano led to widespread protests and international  attention. Outraged citizens flooded Twitter, expressing their angst and demanding #JusticeForAsifa.

    The Aadhaar debate

    Conversations around the Aadhaar’s privacy issues resurfaced in 2018. As the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of Aadhaar, Indians across the world exchanged their opinions on the platform regarding the verdict and the provisions on linking the unique ID with various non-essential services.

    SPORTS:

    IPL 2018 Mania

    Fan engagement touched new heights on Twitter as the #IPL completed its 11th season. To mark this landmark season, fans on Twitter cheered on their teams and celebrated with specific emojis for all the eight franchises part of the competition this year, based on their taglines.

    CSK’s #WhistlePodu comeback

    With 2018 being their year of comeback, Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) had the crowd chanting #WhistlePodu as they made the dash for the coveted IPL 2018 trophy.  Encouraging fans to cheer for the team, @ChennaiIPL made a special video for #WhistlePodu, the colloquial expression in Tamil which means ‘to whistle’, and drove the fans into a Tweeting frenzy with their performance.

    India shines at the Asian Games

    As Indian athletes, including Bajrang Punia (@BajrangPunia), Hima Das (@HimaDas8) and PV Sindhu (@Pvsindhu), won laurels at the #AsianGames2018  and clinched a total of 69 medals, congratulatory Tweets poured in from all parts of the country to rejoice in their victory and welcome the heroes home.

    MOST TALKED ABOUT INDIAN ACCOUNTS ON TWITTER IN 2018*

    With the backdrop of the state elections in India, it is no surprise that political conversations were at an all-time high in 2018, with 6 politicians making it to the Top 10 Most Talked About Indian Accounts list. Prime Minister Narendra Modi (@NarendraModi) tops the charts. Entertainment completes the rest of the Top 10 represented by actors Pawan Kalyan (@PawanKalyan), Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk), Thalapathy Vijay (@actorvijay), and Mahesh Babu (@urstrulyMahesh).

  • The makers of ZERO launch a fan engagement initiative – Bauua Ki Toli

    The makers of ZERO launch a fan engagement initiative – Bauua Ki Toli

    Mumbai, 30th  November 2018:  The makers of ZERO have today announced the launch of a unique engagement program, called Bauua Ki Toli, where Bauua Singh’s fans get a chance to become his Khaasam Khaas by earning points.

    This is a one-of-a kind marketing innovation where fans can win ZERO merchandise, personalised autographed posters, and a lot more cool stuff. Other exciting gifts include personalised posters autographed by Shah Rukh Khan, movie ticket cashbacks from Paytm and exciting Bauua merchandise.

    All one has to do, is create a profile on the website Bauua Ki Toli, connect their Facebook and/or Twitter profiles, and interact on the Red Chillies Entertainment pages daily to earn more points. With each activity that fans complete, they get closer to Bauua Singh and stand a chance to meet the star cast of ZERO.  

    Speaking about the initiative of Bauua Ki Toli, Binda Dey, Marketing Head, Red Chillies Entertainment said, “The love and warmth that ZERO  has received from fans makes us immensely grateful. With Bauua Ki Toli, we want to give our fans another fun way to connect with the much loved character of Bauaa”

    Live now, fans on the website will start with being Bauua’s Khaas, and have to earn points in order to become Bauua Ke Bahut Khaas and Bauua Ke Khaasam Khaas. Launched ahead of ZERO’s release, the program aims at bringing the fans of Shah Rukh Khan, Bauua Singh and ZERO together.

    Sign up today and join Bauua ki Toli to become his Khaasam Khaas: https://bauuakitoli.com

  • Twitter appoints Rahul Pushkarna as head of content partnership, APAC

    Twitter appoints Rahul Pushkarna as head of content partnership, APAC

    MUMBAI: Rahul Pushkarna has been appointed as head of content partnership, APAC at Twitter. He confirmed his appointment through Twitter.

    Before this, Pushkarna worked with Sony Pictures Entertainment as director, sales development, Asia. Pushkarna was also the head, digital distribution and licensing, India and Southeast Asia at 21st Century Fox before Sony.

    Previously, he has also worked with Microsoft, NBC Universal Media and HSBC.

  • BrandVid 2018 sees industry stalwarts discussing video marketing in depth

    BrandVid 2018 sees industry stalwarts discussing video marketing in depth

    MUMBAI: Video is the new glue fusing brands with their consumers thanks to the massive explosion in consumption on digital and handheld devices. Marketers are working overtime to understand the nuances of video storytelling, platforms ‐ social or web destinations and distribution in order to build stronger bonds between brands and their fans. 

    Brands are increasingly realising the importance of branded content and video marketing as a whole. It is no longer a one size fits all formula but rather customised content that is often native and geo-targeted. To learn and delve deeper into understanding video marketing as a crucial marketing tool, Indiantelevision.com hosted industry stalwarts at Sahara Star, Mumbai for BrandVid 2018, powered by Colors. The annual event is the ideal place for the industry to converge, discuss and ideate on the way forward for brand marketing.

    The day-long summit was held with a vision to optimise the use of video as a brand communication tool and get a better bang for the buck for all those operating in the ecosystem. BrandVid brought together publishers, broadcasters, digital platforms, agencies, technology, brands and social media outlets to share notes and best practices, exchange ideas, understand and forecast video trends and build relationships.

    The glittery event saw industry leaders from Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Myntra, Marico, Fastrack, GroupM, VICE India, Bosch Home Appliances, Syska Group, Prajakta Koli, Miss Malini, Times Network, TVF, Onida, White Rivers Media, L'Oréal and more. 

    The conference began with a keynote from Havas Media CEO India and South Asia Anita Nayyar where she discussed at length about how digital videos have grown significantly over the past two years from mere 60 million in 2015 to an astounding 200+ million digital video reach in 2017. She also highlighted that India stands second in the global mobile traffic share and the impact of Jio saw 48 per cent drop in data prices amongst other players. She also mentioned that today, 39 per cent of the content coming out of brands is meaningless and also 55 per cent of the youth is still watching television.

    This was followed by a panel discussion on how important are branded videos to print publications and broadcasters and how are print and television media companies taking advantage of the large reach that they have through content in video format. On this, Group M business head of entertainment sports and live events Vinit Karnik said that if content is the king, distribution is god, then data is new oil that will pump up the mechanism. In the same discussion, Lokmat Media senior EVP and head of digital business Hemant Jain also noted that there is an over emphasis on data, due to which creativity is getting lost in the hype.

    Facebook, Twitter and Youtube are the social giants today but what is the play for branded videos with these giants?  What is each of them offering to brands and how do brands operate in this universe were some of the key questions that were highlighted in the next panel where YouTube India entertainment head Satya Raghavan pointed out that the best practice a brand can follow is to think like a creator rather than a brand itself.

    Speaking on the top 5 things to keep in mind for branded videos for both television and digital, Byju’s marketing head Atit Mehta highlighted that the hero of Byju’s business is the content that they create in house. An important insight that was highlighted at the session was that 75 per cent of videos played on Facebook were without sound which goes to prove that the audience is ‘looking’ at the content more rather than ‘watching' and listening to it. Hence, it is important for marketers to create more visually engaging videos. UltraTechCement brand building head Sanchita Ganguly concluded by stating that insights, respecting medium, conversation and being dynamic is important for branded video.

    In a fireside chat with Indiantelevision.com editor in chief Anil Wanvari, Vice India CEO Chanpreet Arora spoke about how brands can be at the forefront in videos and there is no need to hide brands as consumers love to be entertained.

    The event was also the appropriate venue for Vidooly to unveil a report on the rise of branded content in India that forecast that the branded content ecosystem in India is going to be worth Rs 745 crore in 2022.

    We all agree that influencers have become celebrities in themselves and they carry a brand value. The products they use, the car they drive or the mobile phone they use have at some point or the other influenced our buying decisions. Hence, investing in influencers is key to a brand. But how can broadcasters, publishers use the influencers they have to build their communities and marry them with brands to have that multiplier factor? On this panel, White Rivers Media CEO and co-founder Shrenik Gandhi said that the fundamental of influential marketing is trust whereas Loose Cannons Studio COO Gaurav Lulla added that influential marketing may not necessarily mean brand endorsement and it goes way beyond that. 

    The last session of the evening was an analysis of measuring the efficacy of videos where Legrand India head of marketing communications Laxman Tari stated that brand integration is reassuringly possible for entertainment industry and it does not work with news or current affairs. For L’Oreal India 60-70 per cent of its advertising money goes into videos. On a concluding note, the brand’s media and digital head Neel Pandya pointed out that unified measurement of TV and digital is the biggest challenge today for companies.

    For marketers there never has been a better time to create and distribute videos. But it has also never been so complicated to reach audiences. They need to remember that whatever is the format of the content, it needs to be meaningful!

  • The Age of Heroes has arrived

    The Age of Heroes has arrived

    Mumbai: Humanity plunges into despair; panic spreads like plague. The death of Superman spells a terrible reign of darkness. Will a band of unlikely allies vanquish supervillain Steppenwolf, as he returns to claim his rightful place as the ruler of this world? Can Batman and his troop of gifted meta-humans defeat this invincible abomination? To find out, tune in to the premiere of the much-awaited, Justice League, only on Sunday, 28th October, 2018 at 12pm and 8pm, only on HBO and HBO HD!

    Justice League brings together an unprecedented situation that calls for an equally exceptional team of warriors. The entry of one of the New Gods, Steppenwolf and his Parademons wreak havoc to collect all ‘Mother Boxes’, as Batman recruits superheroes with the help of Wonder Woman. The movie, much to the delight of die-hard DC fans, introduces champions from different worlds – from Men, to Atlanteans, to Amazonians. That’s the cue for a cocky and self-sufficient Aquaman; The Flash as an impressionable University student with superhuman speed; and a techno-organic Cyborg!

    The impending catastrophe and superhero battles mark a new milestone in the DC Extended Universe. Directed by Zack Snyder, the movie is aplenty with stylistic action, slow-motion shots and visual effects that elevate every combat sequence. The plotline cleverly balances action and drama, peppered with moments of humour.

    HBO and HBO HD is set to elevate movie magic with exciting social and digital fan engagement. Fans too can #JoinTheLeague and become a Superhero! Viewers need to simply visit http://hbosouthasia.com/jointheleague/ to take part in the contest and enter their Desired Superhero Name and Power. The lucky winner will get to watch his or her Superhero avatar featured in a cool animated short movie that will be aired on HBO! The contest will be promoted on air and run on all social media platforms. And the superhero bug never spared anyone! So popular stand-up comedian and superhero fan Sahil Shah will also be sharing his excitement for this contest on his social media pages!

    Check out HBO India on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to know more! Justice League set cash registers ringing worldwide and won millions of hearts. Now it’s your turn to experience the magic only on HBO and HBO HD, on Sunday, 28th October, 2018 at 12pm and 8pm!

  • Brands, agencies to rewire approaches using data: CVL Srinivas, WPP

    Brands, agencies to rewire approaches using data: CVL Srinivas, WPP

    MUMBAI: Data. A four letter word that has even the senior most executives sweating and scratching their heads. While it is a small little word, understanding how to use it, is actually very complicated. That’s why  all we’ve been hearing about in the last year is how can brands and agencies leverage the most of data and more importantly, understanding the basics of data. 

    Data is not restricted to using it only in advertising (for data-driven advertising), it can essentially be a very function of every brand. With all the buzz around data and using it to reach the consumer effectively and efficiently, marketers and agencies must know how to make the most of data for better ROI and consumer engagement.

    Google Maps, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Google, YouTube, Netflix have all changed our world, and for good! Technology has changed the way we connect with brands and things around us. You like something, you hit a ‘heart’, something makes you furious, you reply via an angry emoji on Facebook. All this consumer behaviour is Data for marketers. And with a consumer’s likes, dislikes, hearts, tweets and browsing history available readily, a brand maps the consumer behaviour and reaches to them with targeted advertising and content. That’s why you only get a message or pop up to shop or buy your favourite pair of clothes, lipstick, car or mobile that you’ve been eyeing for long.

    However, with brands being able to map your behaviour by scrutinising you and using your data, it also violates a consumer right to privacy. To address this, the Government of India is currently considering sweeping a data privacy law –  Personal Data Protection Bill of 2018 , which states that privacy is a "fundamental right" under the Indian Constitution. 

    The bill is closely modelled after the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It broadly applies to all personal data defined as any data of a person which allows direct or indirect identifiability; and envisions a regime where individual consent is the cornerstone of data-sharing. If the bill is passed, it may change the way on when, where and how much data can brands actually use. 

    Maybe eventually brands will have to pay their users in some form to be able to use their data in the new framework of guidelines. It could be in the form of money, virtual money, coupons or discounts.

    To understand the current scenario and future of data driven marketing, in a quick chat with Indiantelevision.com, WPP country manager CVL Srinivas gave us insights about creating the balance between using data and human insights, future of advertising with data, WPP’s plan for 2019 and more. Excerpts: 

    The importance of data in advertising today is more than ever. How do you see the future of advertising along with data?

    Data is a critical part of every business today. We have a lot more data available to us than we ever had before. Today, every business is looking at transforming itself – by smartly leveraging data, businesses can fast track their growth in numerous ways. Advertising is becoming a lot more data-led. Not just in targeting the right audience or deciding the best 

    medium, data is inspiring creative thinking on brands. We saw numerous examples of data-inspired creativity at our summit today. Going forward, we will see brands and agencies adapting to this new data world by rewiring their approaches. This is not to say that all the

    traditional methods will go out of the window. We need as much of the marketing gut as we need data.

    Having too much data can often become complex. What’s the way out?

    A data strategy needs to start with a purpose. The end uses of data need to be defined. Else there is a tendency to try and boil the ocean. Like we heard from a lot of our panellists that day, that the best approach is to start small, test a few hypotheses and then scale up. 

    Somewhere along the way one learns what kind of data is most valuable for a particular business/brand.

    While brands and agencies have a lot of rich data available today, we don’t know what to do with it. Do we still need time to get there where we understand the data and can leverage it to the best?

    Most businesses are on the journey to get better at harnessing the power of data. There is no one defined method. Some of them have made more progress while others are starting off from scratch. While there is an abundance of data, what we really need is a more 

    balanced approach to putting it to good use. By ‘balanced’, I mean combining data points across different sources to paint a broader picture. That’s where we need to see more progress generally speaking. 

    Focus point for agencies and brands in 2019?

    Data-centricity will be a key priority going forward, but it must go hand in hand with creativity. 

    Do you think brands and agencies need to take a step back, pause and say, “I think we are pushing it too much!” How can we as an industry skip being ad-blocked?

    I think we will soon get to a point where most, if not all advertisers will realise the need to move from a completely push-based advertising approach to a more balanced way of engaging with their consumers. Data and technology are making it easier to identify consumer tastes and preferences more sharply. This will reduce the bombardment. On top of that, if one knows what kind of content engages the consumer, it can result in more relevant messaging being served.

  • Data of 29 mn users hacked says Facebook

    Data of 29 mn users hacked says Facebook

    MUMBAI: Social media company, Facebook, on Friday stated that hackers had accessed 29 million user data in the breach which was disclosed late last month. Facebook previously had said that 50 million users were affected due to the data breach.

    In a recent conference call regarding the investigation, Facebook vice president of product management, Guy Rosen said, “We now know that fewer people were impacted than we originally thought.”

    The hackers had accessed the names, phone numbers and email addresses of 15 million users and for the other remaining 14 million users, the attack came to be more damaging as along with that data the hackers accessed additional information including gender, religion, hometown, birth date and places they had recently “checked in” to as visiting.

    Also one million people remain unaffected as no data was accessed, although their ‘access tokens’ were stolen, said Rosen.

    Facebook reassured that the attack did not affect Facebook-owned Messenger, Messenger Kids, Instagram, WhatsApp, Oculus, Workplace, Pages, payments, third-party apps or advertising or developer account.

    On the account of recent happenings, Zee Entertainment Enterprises chief executive officer Punit Goenka appeared cautious on Twitter.

  • WhatsApp gets grievance officer under pressure from India

    WhatsApp gets grievance officer under pressure from India

    NEW DELHI: Under pressure to clamp down on sinister messages, WhatsApp has appointed a grievance officer for India and detailed out the process for users to flag concerns and complaints, including those around fake news.

    Meeting one of the key demands that India had put on WhatsApp to curb fake messages that triggered mob killings, the Facebook-owned company has updated its website to reflect the appointment of a 'Grievance Officer for India'. The update mentions that users can seek help through the mobile app, send an email or write in to 'Komal Lahiri', who is based out of the US, reports the Press Trust of India.

    According to Lahiri's LinkedIn profile, she is senior director, global customer operations and localisation at WhatsApp. When contacted, a WhatsApp spokesperson declined to comment on the matter but pointed to the public FAQ on the company's website that contains these details.

    According to sources, the appointment of the grievance officer was made at the end of August. They added that the officer for India being based in the US is in tune with similar practices by other American tech giants. Users can reach out to the company's support team directly from the app under 'settings' and in case they wish to escalate the complaint, they can contact the grievance officer directly.

    A section within FAQs read: "You (users) can contact the Grievance Officer with complaints or concerns, including the following: WhatsApp's Terms of Service; and Questions about your account". The updated FAQs also detailed out the mechanism for law enforcement officials to reach out to WhatsApp.

    The government has been pressing WhatsApp to develop tools to combat fake or false messages. One of the demands was to name a grievance officer to deal with issues in India.

    India is WhatsApp's biggest market with more than 200 million users. It, in July, limited message forwards to five chats at a time and had also removed the quick forward button placed next to media messages to discourage mass forwarding. It has also introduced a 'forward' label to help users identify such messages.

    The latest appointment is also significant as the Supreme Court, last month, had agreed to examine a petition alleging that WhatsApp does not comply with Indian laws, including the provision for appointing a grievance officer. The apex court had sought a reply on the matter within four weeks.

    With general elections slated for next year in India, the government is taking a tough stance on the use of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp for the spread of misinformation.

    The government had warned WhatsApp that it will treat the messaging platform as an abettor of rumour propagation and legal consequences will follow if adequate checks are not put in place.

    In a meeting held with WhatsApp head Chris Daniels last month, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had asserted that the company will have to find a solution to track origin of messages on its platform, set up a local corporate entity that is subject to Indian laws within a defined time-frame as well as appoint a grievance officer.

    WhatsApp, which has been slapped with two notices and a third one under consideration, has said it is in the process of establishing a local corporate entity. It has, however, not accepted the government's demand for traceability of messages saying creating such a software will go against the idea of user privacy.

  • Comment: DNPA formation raises key questions & upsets independent publishers

    Comment: DNPA formation raises key questions & upsets independent publishers

    “When it comes to rain making, not all followers are equally valuable. Some people have a lot more influence than others,” said Areva Martin, author and autism expert, in `Make It Rain!: How to Use the Media to Revolutionize Your Business & Brand’.

    A hurriedly called press conference, which was delayed because of last-minute deliberations in the India Today office on the outskirts of New Delhi on 21 September 2018, made public a development that resulted in more gasps on social media and WhatsApp groups than surprise from the attendant journalists at the conference to cover the event.

    And since then, the announcement of the formation of a Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) has continued to keep various WhatsApp groups and social media users busy discussing the pros and cons of the newest entrant in the field of media industry advocacy in India. Especially because DNPA claims to be one more voice of the stakeholders amidst a plethora of already-existing industry bodies and sectoral alliances in the approximate Rs 1.5 trillion Indian media and entertainment sector.

    According to the most updated data from the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), an organisation established by India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Indian digital advertising industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 32 per cent to reach Rs 18,986 crore or $ 2.93 billion by 2020, backed by affordable data and rising smartphone penetration. FICCI-E&Y 2018 report on India’s media and entertainment sector stated 84 per cent of India's total digital population consumed news digitally in April 2017.

    Juxtaposed against the present political set-up in the country, the aforementioned data gets perspective, which was visible in the press release issued. “Ten of India’s biggest media companies who collectively serve 70 per cent of India’s online audience have today announced a new collective, Digital News Publishers Association,” the official statement read. Upfront it has been made clear that the 10 founding members of the new organisation hold sway over online audience. What was left unsaid was that such high coverage of online population also makes them important influencers.    

    The official statement also leaves another clue behind its formation: “The organisation is committed to…self-regulation and to promoting the business and editorial interests of all members.” The 10 founding members are Dainik Bhaskar, India Today Group, NDTV, Hindustan Times, Indian Express, Times of India, Amar Ujala, Dainik Jagran, Eenadu and Malayala Manorama — all traditional media houses with digital extensions to keep pace with the march of technology. Many of these organisations also own several other media ventures like TV and FM radio channels.

    With the India government, still grappling with ways to rein in rampant fake news being spread more via social media platforms and dodgy websites, has also come up with a framework for regulations — self or government mandated — for digital and online publishers of content, formation of DNPA, consisting of legacy media houses, raises important questions and has the potential of opening up of a can of worms leading to further making the country a regulatory challenge. Add to the fact that the government has mandated a committee to explore regulations for all genres of online content and that, reportedly, the committee is finding it difficult to suggest solutions that are a win-win for both stakeholders and the government making the regulatory landscape very tricky.

    Now, DNPA’s formations raises three crucial questions.

    Question No. 1: Why form another industry advocacy group when several such bodies already exist?

    For the overall development of the digital news segment and the publishers, is the official explanation. Does that mean organisations like the Indian Broadcasting Foundation, News Broadcasters Association (both these bodies have self-regulatory set-up for its members), Internet & Mobile Association of India (IMAI), Broadband India Forum (BIF), Editors’ Guild of India, Producers Guild of India, which consists of digital players too, and a host of smaller versions of these organisations are unable to deliver for the founding members of DNPA?

    It’s imperative to remember a majority of the DNPA’s 10 present members are also members of various other bodies too like the IBF, NBA and IMAI. NBA itself was formed several years back when the TV news players thought the IBF was not representing their viewpoints properly.

    An independent observer quipped after DNPA came into existence: “If the industry body is serious about its avowed goals, the members should stop giving free content to the likes of Facebook and Twitter.”

    Question No. 2: Though DNPA has admitted it’s open to other digital companies as members, why weren’t the independent and other comparatively smaller publishers of digital news initially contacted?

    Technology certainly has made innovations and entrepreneurship in digital publishing more competitive. And, this initial cold-shouldering of smaller competitors has made them question the claimed goals of the Big 10, as the DNPA founders are being labelled as.

    “Yet another big daddies club. Formed by big media companies discreetly, without the ones who spent blood & sweat to create independent internet news publishing platforms without a muscle. Despicable. I would call upon all the independent digital news publishing platforms with sizable reach to express their protest and tweet about it to I&B Minister. This [Digital News Publishers] Association should not be recognised,” rued Alok Verma in a two-part tweet last Friday. A veteran journalist who has worked in senior positions in both the print and electronic news media segments earlier, Verma is founder and chief editor of NYOOOZ.com, an online video-first platform delivering news from over 62 small and medium scale cities.

    Question No. 3: Will DNPA’s birth lead to the formation of another organisation comprising the independent digital news players?

    This is a very possible scenario and, if such an advocacy group or alliance does come into effect, it should get off the block like Usain Bolt. If it manages the inherent content and business contradictions of its members efficiently, it also has the potential to be a strong industry voice having good fire (and leveraging) power. But it’s a big IF.

    However, some of the `bigger’ independent digital publishers of news have not articulated their views — at least publicly. Owners and managers of The Wire, BloombergQuint, VICE India, Scroll.in, HuffPost India, The Print, etc. who otherwise opine on almost all industry and regulatory issues, apart from being very active on social media, have been quiet. Industry gossip says — though to be taken with a pinch of salt — feelers sent by some independent players to the likes of The Print, The Wire, BOOM, which is a part of Ping Digital Network, have elicited lukewarm response on the issue of an independent digital publishers alliance so that DNPA and its legacy members cannot start influencing the regulatory environment.

    With general elections in India lurking around the corner, the hordes of independent digital news venture gain importance as providers of news and being influencers of the hoi-polloi that may not be so exposed to the national media.

    Trying to summarise the DNPA development and its possible fallouts, Pankaj Pachauri founder and editor of mobile app based and online GoNews rued the fact that legacy players kept the DNPA formation hush-hush despite some of them being members of NBA too, just like his venture. Incidentally, NBA’s annual meeting was held earlier last week.

    “Why did India become a powerhouse in technology and software? Because at a time when the sector was in its infancy and growing, there was just one organisation, Nasscom, that championed the sector’s cause with policy-makers and did it effectively. In the media industry, especially so in the fledgeling digital space, all the players must remember that unless we present a united front, regulators can try hemming us in with restrictive legislations,” said Pachauri, who was also a media advisor to former Indian PM Manmohan Singh.

  • Madras HC issues notices to social media networks

    Madras HC issues notices to social media networks

    NEW DELHI: India’s bumpy regulatory ride with online media continues. Now, the Madras High Court has issued notices to social media networks like Twitter and Facebook taking serious note of the claim that they were not responding to questions of law enforcement agencies on cybercrime complaints.

    A bench of justices S Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad passed the interim order yesterday based on the submission made by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) police that social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and WhatsApp seldom reply to their queries or provide information, according to a Press Trust of India (PTI) report from Chennai yesterday.

    The court issued notices to the social media giants headquarters in San Francisco and California.

    A public interest litigation was filed by Antony Clement Rubin seeking a direction to the Centre to declare linking of Aadhaar (India’s biometric identification initiative for its citizens)  mandatory for social media accounts to effectively check cybercrime.

    When the plea came up last week, the court asked why these companies were not cooperating with the law enforcement agencies as mandated by the Information Technology Act. It directed the networks to explain as to why they should not be impleaded in the plea as party respondents by 18 September 2018.

    Similar notices have also been issued to the offices of Facebook and YouTube at Hyderabad.

    The court said the Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines) Rules makes it clear that when required by a lawful order, the intermediary (social media firm) shall provide information or any such assistance to government agencies which are lawfully authorised to investigative.

    But, according to the submission made by the CCB, it could be seen that though request has been made to furnish details, social media companies have not furnished it in many cases and also rejected the requests, the court said.

    "Having regard to the fact that some information, disseminated is an offence, punishable under Indian law, the law enforcing agencies request the intermediaries to furnish details, for investigation/detection and as per rules, the intermediary shall observe due diligence in the discharge of his duties," the PTI report quoted the court having observed while passing an interim order.

    Meanwhile, concerns in India are increasing relating to content on social media platforms as they are used to spread rumours, fake news and even threats, sometimes resulting in actual crimes taking place. Moreover, some of them like Facebook have also trained their guns on streaming content like soccer tournaments that were earlier on traditional television.