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The role the digital media and technology in the 2014 Indian national elections has been widely commented on. From the holograms used by Prime Minster Narendra Modi, during election campaigning, to the extensive use of digital platforms by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the 2014 election was a game changer in many respects. The 2019 Indian national elections, likely to be held in April and May, will see an even greater and more innovative use of these tools as most political parties have begun using digital media extensively for campaigning and mobilization. India already has close to 900 million eligible voters, and an estimated half-a-billion have access to the Internet. The country has 300 million Facebook users and 200 million on WhatsApp, which is more than any other democracy. In addition, millions in India use Twitter.

There are three broad trends that could be noted with regard to digital media and politics in India. First, the digital media landscape has been rapidly evolving. While Facebook remains one of the most widely used social media platforms, there are other platforms, such as Twitter and Instagram, which have shown significant growth in recent years. Messaging platforms like WhatsApp not only have the largest number of users in India, but have also become a dominant news-sharing platform. Though the global digital divide still exists, the smartphone has been crucial to the rapid evolution of digital politics, especially in most parts of South Asia, where Internet penetration has traditionally been low. One of the critical elements of the digital media landscape is the extent to which an increasing number of people use social media as their primary source of news and how they consume it.

Second, the increasing use of digital communication technologies to mobilise people, during elections as well as in everyday politics and campaigns. The role of the Internet in election campaigns the world over, from Narendra Modi’s campaign in 2014 to the ongoing presidential campaign in Indonesia, is well documented. Beyond elections, the Internet has become central to democratic participation and citizenship. However, questions remain about the impact of online campaigns on voting, the relation between online and offline political activities and the link between popular control of information and political equality.

Third, the vast expansion of digital media platforms and the information being disseminated have also led to the phenomenon of fake news. Though the term ‘fake news’ is of relatively recent origin, it is a global trend that Internet users, technology companies and governments are grappling with. While fake news and misinformation are being used to shape and polarise opinion, it has also triggered violence in many instances. In India alone, over the last one year, at least 25 people have been lynched in separate incidents, triggered by online rumours. Fake news and disinformation campaigns are a major challenge in election campaigns. The Indian government and its various agencies have been stepping in to curb misinformation and the spread of fake news on digital platforms, but the rapidly evolving regulatory framework raises important questions about surveillance and freedom of information.

The ISAS-KAS joint workshop brings together academics, journalists, bureaucrats, representatives from digital media companies and IT practitioners from major political parties to analyse the ways digital media and technology are being used to mobilise voters and run election campaigns in India. The workshop will cover three broad themes:

i) Mapping the digital media landscape in India and its connection to politics;

ii) Analysing the role of digital media in elections campaigns; and

iii) Discussing fake news and disinformation campaigns and ways of regulating it.