Author: Sunanda Vashisht
Publication: Myind.net
Date: January 17, 2017
URL:   https://www.myind.net/amazon-versus-government-india-battle-must-be-fought-out-public-glare

In 2012, I wrote a piece in the wake of a controversy that had created a huge buzz in media circles and Lutyens’ Delhi then. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, spokesperson of the Congress had been caught in a scandal when a random sex CD allegedly showing him in a compromising position with a lady lawyer in court premises had surfaced. Twitter then a fairly new platform discovered by Indians, was abuzz with gossip and multitude of views and Singhvi ‘trended’ for days. My piece titled ‘News in the time of Social Media’ was ostensibly about Singhvi but was really about news in the time of social media. Here is what I had said then “Social Media is here to stay and Twitter is only getting started. Main stream media better wake up to the new dawn or they get left behind. In an era where people are increasingly turning to twitter for breaking news than watching their TV screens, media houses have much to worry about”

Five years later, much of what I had said then has turned to be true. Across the world, Twitter seems to have become the primary mode of communication for leaders. From Donald Trump, to Narendra Modi many world leaders are relying on Social Media to communicate directly with their audience and to get instant feedback. Both these things were impossible to do via traditional media. As media houses, have made an art of turning opinion pieces into news reports and as more and more newspapers have swapped editorial page with front page, this is necessary for any politician to survive. Social Media and especially Twitter is here to stay and we might see newer platforms coming up in future. However, the need to communicate directly without any fear of misquoting will ensure that Social Media will now almost always score over traditional media.

Needless to say, Twitter and Facebook has democratized the discourse greatly and news now is no longer a domain of few. There is no old boy’s club that can thrive in the age of Social media for it is open to all and accessible to all. I am personally delighted at the turn of events. In 2012, I sensed the prominence of Social Media in coming years. In 2017, I am happy with the alternate discourse shaping up, new voices getting space and irrelevance of old entrenched media. Mainstream big media hasn’t completely given up yet but the smartest amongst them are looking at digital alternatives to keep themselves relevant and to remain clued in on the conversation. Many traditional media stalwarts complain about trolling (trolling does get extreme at times) all the time but it hasn’t bothered them enough to quit the medium altogether or from keeping tabs on social media. Most news now comes from Social Media and traditional media sits and analyses. In 2017, when I wrote that piece it was the exact opposite. News came from Mainstream media and social media would spend hours either confronting it, rebutting it or simply analyzing it.  Big media still holds fort because of the big money it is sitting on but cracks in the edifice are now easily visible.

All these events have however opened up another pandora’s box. In last few weeks we saw President of Mexico sparring with President Elect of the United States, Donald Trump over a major policy issue regarding immigration. With invectives thrown in liberally this was not a pretty sight.  Trump routinely uses twitter to announce his views on major policy decisions clearly without much deliberations gone into it. He chided giant automakers Ford and GM publicly and put them on notice if they did not start manufacturing in the United States. It works very well for him in the short term but in the long term to issue public rebukes to businesses on twitter can backfire big time.

External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj appreciated world over for what is known as twitter diplomacy and for reaching out to those in distress, had an angry moment few days ago. When a twitter user brought to her notice the door mats being sold with picture of Indian flag on them, she lost her cool and threatened Amazon’s Canada office to quickly withdraw the product or face her wrath. She even threatened to rescind visas of Amazon officials. It is beyond any scope of discussion that no one in the world should be abusing our national flag or national symbols. Those who are familiar with Amazon’s business model will know that this particular item was most likely put on sale by a 3rd party seller and not Amazon. Amazon clearly had no malicious intent but they did need to be made aware of our sentiments. This could have been done via a phone call or an email from a MEA official and I am sure Amazon would have complied. Did Swaraj really have to issue threats publicly?  I am a huge fan of Swaraj’s reinvention of role of an External Affairs Minister but when does too much really become too much. What is a thin line that must be kept in mind while issuing threats on twitter if you are the Foreign Minister of the country?

Secretary, Economic affairs Shaktikanta Das took a leaf out of Sushma Swaraj’s Amazon book and came up with his set of threats for the company. Asking them to behave he said Amazon’s indifference would be at their own peril. This was written on Twitter by one of the top most bureaucrats of the country. Das quickly realized that he had gone tad bit too far and immediately said the comment was not from Secretary Economic Affairs but from a citizen of India and not much should be read into it. He further reiterated his commitment to economic reforms, ease of doing business and open trade. He also admitted to getting ‘touchy” about the issue.

It is one thing for ordinary people to take to Social Media to vent and disagree It is another thing for Cabinet Ministers and top bureaucrats to lose their cool on twitter. Latter can have disastrous consequences even though in tons of feedback both positive and negative the actual impact will get lost. It is one thing to bypass corrupt traditional media to get your voice across, it is another thing to announce policy on twitter without adequate thought gone into it. Foreign Minister’s tweet and Economic Affairs Secretary’s tweet will perhaps not be damaging right away. In fact, with Amazon’s apology, there seems to be instant success but in the long run it carries a huge risk with it. Threatening global corporations with rescinding visas is a major policy decision which might be needed if the corporation is a habitual offender or has malicious intent. Without knowing the real motive, immediate threats could back fire.