Why I avoid Facebook fights, Twitter arguments: No I am not silent but there is a reason to not fall into this trap on social media

I no longer argue, in fact, I totally avoid Twitter debates or long Facebook arguments.

Issues remain the same even as years have passed, discussing them over and over again.

During 1990s, I remember how much I kept explaining & debating. Then for over a decade on this blog, I kept arguing & answering [issues remain same], eventually realised the futility.

Such was the hate pouring in that I had to shut the comments section in order to keep myself sane.

Now, this doesn't mean that we are going to get silent or not expose. But no point in arguing with anybody and the same issues that keep popping up after every few months.

One must speak, explain the position but certain things are so engrained & people don't want to accept. Those who argue, those who have the patience, must do it. I am not interested now, no urge left, feel too much energy is spent over it.

Ten yrs from now too, there'll be same debates over Vande Matram or Yoga, Bharat Mata or Saraswati Vandana. Sometimes it feels that this is a strategy, a trap too.

The moment you are in explanatory mode, you are on back foot and you explain things sincerely, the other guy would be ready with his list--now what about this!

Of course, it is important to speak on issues, understanding the importance of narrative building and speaking our mind freely, contradicting the false narrative. But not these arguments, engaging with anybody  who start questioning, has to gall to make any charge-allegation. NO.

READ: Right-wing trolls' strategy, how to avoid the trap

WhatsApp Wakes up: After lynching incidents, sets off ad campaign to 'spread happiness, not falsehoods'

WhatsApp has finally woken up from its slumber.

It has begun a campaign--Khushiyaan baantiye, Afwaahein nahin.

If translated from Urdu to English, it says--spread happiness, not falsehoods.

After rumours and false propaganda was spread on this platform for long, it has apparently bowed to pressure.

Government of India had also asked it to contain the spread of hate and rumours that resulted in incidents of lynchings.

The rumours about cow or gangs on the prowl to abduct kids, had led to attacks, lynchings and even deaths.

A techie was killed in Karnataka. In fact, many other such serious incidents of law-and-order failure took place because of WhatsApp and the rumours spread through the platform.

Inside WhatsApp groups, people share content with like minded people or friends-families. Apart from Facebook, it is another major platform that can let any content go viral within a few hours.

Hence, there is need for more responsibility on part of WhatsApp. It has taken it years for the social media giant to run such an advertisement campaign. Now it is on TV and is also visible at other places.

Quite late. Had they been vigilant earlier, it may have saved lives. If people are aware that they may be caught, they are more cautious. In fact, WhatsApp need to do even more and be strict with people who spread false messages and share fake news.

How to get your first 500 Twitter followers in just 5 days: Ten simple steps to get thousand followers in a month for free

This blog has been running for the last 15 years, and I rarely give social media tips.

However, as it is becoming increasingly difficult for people to get new followers on Twitter, here is a method.

There are many strategies that can be followed after you get your first hundred [100], 500 and 1000 followers. But how to get hundred or thousand followers?

That's an intelligent way, not a hack, but a perfectly legal system.

ONE Hundred followers in ONE day, Five Hundred Followers in FIVE days, Thousand in a MONTH, free, without buying followers, without spending a single penny or dollar or rupee

Read on:

1. You have a Twitter account and have barely 5, 20 and 50 followers in many months. You want more.

2. Go to the search box at the top, type the two letters as seen above 'follow back' and click on the search [lens sign]. Now there are various options, click on 'accounts'.

3. Chances are you will see 50-100 or even more accounts, most of them claiming that they 'follow back'. Just start following them in a go. It takes hardly 5-10 minutes. Now leave the place.

4. By the time you are back to yoour computer in an hour or six hours or 12 hours, most of them will have followed you back. Those who haven't, you can remind them, by a tweet, with @ as a prefix to the account.

5. As you follow back, more people will start following you. just follow everyone.

6. Once, this is over. Go to search again, type, 'I follow back', and search.

Now you will get another 100-150 accounts. Repeat the process and follow all. Most of them will follow back.

7. Hope you have 150-250 followers by now. That's sizeable and respectable figure. If you don't need such random followers, you just stop, as you have reached a good figure.

8. But if you want to reach 500 or 1000 followers first, before going for a serious Twitter experience, go ahead, search 'always follow back' and follow all the accounts you find.

9. Your followers' number has risen staggeringly by now, hopefully, unless you are too unlucky.

10. Be imaginative, try similar words and combinations, you will see that your Twitter following has increased sharply, drastically and significantly. Yes. Say thank you, like this page or share, if you liked this information, which nobody told you, before.

CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING A LOT OF FOLLOWERS.

*Later, when you want to purge, just check those who didn't follow, you can un-follow them.
*The accounts that are useless or tweet nonsense or send obscene photos or irritating stuff, you can simply 'mute' them, so that they remain in the list as your followers but won't bother you. 

Morphed images lead to arrest of two youths in Madhya Pradesh: Is law same for everyone in India?

Is law same for everyone in India? This question is asked quite often. 

Just now, two youths have been arrested in Madhya Pradesh for 'sharing morphed pictures'. It is not a holy person whose photo was morphed. 

But yes, Mohan Bhagwat, heads RSS that is the boss of the BJP which is ruling party in India. Morphing images is not a great idea.

However, that's something which has become quite common. It has become like cartoons. A politician not working efficiently and you put tortoise photograph in place of the torso.

Some morphing case are less innocent. However, it has acquired a sort of social sanction. The two youths were arrested and sent to jail. Now that's not so quick in general case. 

You're in trouble for sharing such content on Facebook or Twitter, if you're not with the right party. 

If you're with the 'right party' even complaint may not lead to FIR. Even if FIR registered you won't be arrested. 

And if you are really unlucky and arrested, you will get immediately bail and won't have to go to jail. Law is same for all, just application is different. So, there are factors that influence a lot. 

ALWAYS REMEMBER THIS

Courts may be independent but the first agency that puts onus or responsibility of committing an offence, making you an accused, is the police. 

1. And, the policemen always see who the person is? Is he well-connected, has an organisation or party behind or is influential in other ways.

2. The decision to whether just take an application and put it in abeyance or register FIR and the kind of sections that are to be applied, depends on these above mentioned factors. 

3. Further, if you are from certain unprivileged groups of the society, the cops would be prompt in taking action and more harsh. 

It all begins from here. And those who understand law and judiciary, can inform you better. Those who go through, will know it, themselves. No need for me to elaborate on it further. 

Leading Indian newspapers on social media: Times of India ahead in English newspapers, TV channels overall leaders, Jagran leads in Hindi

Social media has revolutionized the news world.

With more hits coming from Facebook [and Twitter], media groups are increasingly focusing on promoting their content on these sites.

'Likes', 'Shares' and 'Retweets' (RTs) are now used to gauge popularity of stories, reports and articles.

Most media organisations want 'content' that does well on social media.

Facebook is now considered more a platform that sends hits, rather than Twitter.

Twitter works in a different way but first, we shall look at the Facebook presence of Indian media.

Indian Media on Facebook, Twitter

All those busy in making strategy for social media, talk about Clicks and Eyeballs. The clicks [hits] are obtained through smart, catchy and even sensational [misleading] headlines.

Especially, Hindi media is doing it more to grab eyeballs. The major media groups that have strong presence on the ground, are doing well on the social media too.

But there are exceptions too. Some papers with huge circulation, don't have strong social media presence.

When you 'like' a page, you automatically become a follower and hence a consumer of its content. The more 'likes' and 'followers', a media company has on Facebook, the more is the reach of its content.

And, it not only brings advertisement revenue but also increases the brand value of the company. The media groups also use different ways, even spending money to drive campaigns for more 'followers'.

ENGLISH MEDIA

Times of India is the clear leader on Facebook. It has more than 79.38 lakh or 7.9 million likes [followers]. However, the surprise is that 'The Hindu', which is considered more traditional, is second in the list with 44.17 lakh or 4.4 million Facebook likes.

Hindustan Times has 41.33 lakh likes which puts it at the third place. Indian Express is also catching up fast now, though it was far behind till recently. Express has nearly 35 lakh 'likes'. Deccan Chronicle follows.

Among other English media, the weekly India Today has a strong following on Facebook. It posts content of dailyO as well. India Today has nearly 73 lakh or 7.3 lakh followers, which puts it among the most influential news brands on Facebook, in India.

Times of India 79.38 lakh [nearing 8 million]
The Hindu 43 lakh or 4.3 million
HT 39.68 lakh
Indian Express 34.69 lakh
Deccan Chronicle 13.98 lakh

TV CHANNELS' INFLUENCE: Aaj Tak, ABP leaders on Facebook

When it comes to TV channels, Aaj Tak and ABP News are the leaders. Aaj Tak is at the TOP. In fact, the two channel leads in all the segments as they are far ahead of English, Hindi and regional papers too, on Facebook.

Both Aaj Tak and ABP have crossed 10 million or 1 crore figure on Facebook. It is followed by NDTV, Zee News, Times Now, IBNlive.com, India TV and IBN 7. There are many other channels too, with over a million followers on this social networking website.

Aaj Tak 1.1 crore plus [10.1 million]
ABP News 1 crore plus [100 lakh], more than 10 millions
NDTV 58 lakh or 5.8 million
Zee News 51.86 lakh
Times Now 40.17 lakh
IBNlive.com 37.21 lakh
India TV 42.36 lakh
IBN 7 27.37 lakh

JAGRAN leads Hindi newspapers

Dainik Jagran 84.21 lakh or 8.4 million
Bhaskar 78.48 lakh
Amar Ujala 39.86 lakh
Navbharat Times Online 36.71 lakh
Punjab Kesari 29.07 lakh

SOME OTHER NOTABLE NEWS SOURCES WITH HIGH REACH ON FACEBOOK

Quint 31.40 lakh or 3.1 million
24 Ghanta 29.32 lakh [Bangla]
ABP Ananda 27.12 lakh
Manorama [Malayalam] 21.27 lakh
Mathrubhumi 18.66 lakh [Malayalam]
The Siasat Daily 12.64 lakh [Urdu]

For those interested in New Media, see the link below:
Top ten 'New Media' websites in India. LINK

*The figures above will keep changing, increase, in most cases. The data is for January 24, 2016.

Pay to get more Facebook 'likes', more 'followers' on Twitter: Unfair practices on social media?

Social media giants Facebook & Twitter have lately come up with similar plans for users who want 'greater clout' or 'more audience'.

If you pay money, you have the option to get more Facebook 'likes' and more Twitter 'followers'.

But is it fair? Content is not the king anymore.

Someone who has extra dollars or rupees, to spend, can use it for branding and get thousands of 'real or unreal' followers on Twitter.

Similar is the case with Facebook. Here, a person can 'buy' the 'likes' for his/her page. Where's the level-playing field on social media?

That's the fundamental question.

I don't feel it is fair. These companies initially had no such schemes but once they reached a level where they are opinion makers and dominate our lives, they have come up with these schemes.

Personally, I don't like it. It's like, you can't earn numbers or grades, so just pay for it. Is it fair? 

Take for example, movie personalities, TV persons, sport stars or anybody who came late on these platforms, and have less followers.

Or those who don't have anything interesting to share but feel upset that others have more likes or followers, can avail these schemes.

They can just pay money and get past the people who genuinely earned the following.

If you pay, Twitter shows your profile to many more people as 'suggested' in 'Who to Follow' advisory on the top right.

If you pay, your page is displayed to more people who are suggested by Facebook, to like the page.

On Facebook, you get option to target people in particular region or people of a particular age group.

We like it or not, Facebook and Twitter dominate our lives so much, that we have to live with it--their policies. They are here for business, aren't they. And that's what business is!!!

Misusing social media to spread communalism in the society: Messages on WhatsApp, Facebook inflaming passions, causing riots

If the society is increasingly getting communalised and people belonging to different communities are turning into religious bigots, it should be a cause of alarm.

Across India, 'objectionable' posts on Facebook or circulation of messages on WhatsApp are leading to communal tension and riots.

In small towns, people come out on streets and mob resort to violence after seeing a post. We can no longer say that it is a transition phase for society and that people will get over it.

First, it was Facebook, which was being misused to spread false messages and propaganda. Now, it is Whatsapp that is being flooded with communal messages.

It seems that there are factories to manufacture hate-filled messages, on a regular basis. In fact, messages that are factually incorrect are floated, purposely, part of a conspiracy to turn Hindus and Muslims against each other.

Hate-mongering, morphed images

For example, a mischief maker just takes any photo, puts a few words along with it, using PhotoShop or Paintshop, and uploads it. Soon, the like-minded start liking or sharing it, as if it is a certified intellectual's quote.

Even educated persons who are supposed to be discernible and know the truth, are taken in, and believe it as truth. By consistently posting these messages, the aim is to paint the other group as absolute villain and enemy.

A photo of a person being lynched in neighbouring country is passed off as a scene from a particular place in India, and a particular group is blamed. These images go viral and even if one or two persons see the falsehood, the voices don't matter much.

The impact, reach of WhatsApp

Both fundamentalist Hindus and Muslims are involved in this act. Also, many ordinary people, without verifying or bothering to check the information, believe these messages and forward them. Sharing in WhatsApp, takes the messages to even more people.

The hate in many of these messages is chilling. No longer a person needs newspaper or TV channel to spread his message. He can simply write a few lines and in photo form if it is posted, many seem believe the message. Many might not believe these messages.

Daily propaganda turning people fanatic

However, when you see such messages on a daily basis, your degree of suspicion towards other group increased. So those who were liberal turn into fundamentalist, the slight communal into communal and the communal become ultra-communal, seeing the propaganda day in and day out.

Education should bring enlightenment but sadly a large number of people are getting affected by false propaganda on the social networking websites. While social media has its benefits and guarding freedom of expression is important, it is also imperative that those injecting hate in society, should be dealt with sternly.

How many around to spread message of communal harmony?

The reason is that messages on communal harmony aren't spread. There are no organisations flush with funds to do it with a missionary zeal. But those who are overcome by hate or have an agenda, act with a passion. Hence, communal messages flood the virtual world.

Till a few years ago, it was a small section that used Twitter. Facebook was used more often. However, with smartphones being used to check social media, the situation has turned extremely serious. Facebook is used by teenagers and elders in villages too.

Communalism reaches villages through smart phones

WhatsApp is being misused even more. People form their own groups and become 'admins'. There are people who run dozens of groups and spread hate, not just in cities, but in rural parts of the country.

Whatever happened in Muzaffarnagar earlier this year was a reflection of it. People in villages who were not afflicted by the communal bug also turned communal. The power of WhatsApp can be understood by the way it helped spread of the message of BJP.

The right-wing support ensured that the party got a huge success in Uttar Pradesh (UP). While BJP may term itself moderate, its sister organisations are known for their hardcore right-wing ideology. Members of these organisations are known for their communal diatribe.

It is not that other communities aren't involved in it. There are many Muslims who post objectionable messages and circulate them. Sadly, on both sides, there are less saner voices. We need statesmen, real leaders to tell the youths of nation, to get out of this hate business. It hurts the nation like nothing else.

READ POSTS ON SAME ISSUE ON THIS BLOG EARLIER

1. How to deal with communal messages, hate speech and misinformation on social media?

2. Rising Racism: Of online bigots, communal comments and casteist messages on internet

3. Playing flue to buffalow: How to deal with online trolls

4. Abusive messages, comments and this blog