Archives: Investigations

Can Facebook Overcome its Crisis of Credibility in India?

Date Published: March 14, 2019 Last Modified: March 14, 2019

We have argued in this series of five articles that Facebook has not been a politically agnostic platform in India and elsewhere. In this country, it has helped the ruling regime. Given its past record, it is not surprising that serious doubts are being raised about how neutral Facebook will be in the months leading up to the April-May 2019 general elections. In the first article, we examined allegations relating to the complicity of Facebook and WhatsApp in spreading disinformation and hate

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Is Indian Politics Being Converted into a Game on Social Media Platforms like Facebook?

Date Published: March 14, 2019 Last Modified: March 14, 2019

Is Facebook truly a politically agnostic platform? Far from it. Serious doubts have been expressed about how neutral Facebook was in the past and how neutral it will be in the run-up to the April-May 2019 general elections. In the first article in this series of reports, we examined allegations relating to the complicity of Facebook and WhatsApp in disseminating disinformation, hate speech and incendiary information. In the second, we reported how Facebook arrived at the dominant position it is

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Who Were the Key Players Responsible for Facebook’s Support to Modi and the BJP?

Date Published: March 14, 2019 Last Modified: March 14, 2019

Is Facebook truly a neutral and an agnostic platform for all to use? Far from it. After interviewing nearly 50 people over the last five months, we have put together evidence (some of it circumstantial) to indicate that senior employees of Facebook in India have worked, and continue to work, very closely with the country’s ruling regime. Given past experience, the question is how neutral Facebook will be in the run-up to the April-May 2019 general elections. In the first article in this series

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Did Facebook in India Help BJP and Modi?

Date Published: March 14, 2019 Last Modified: March 14, 2019

Is Facebook truly an agnostic platform for all to use? After interviewing nearly 50 people over the last five months, we collated evidence (some of it circumstantial) to indicate that senior employees of Facebook India have worked, and continue to work, very closely with the country’s ruling Right-wing, Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. Its close links with the BJP existed well before Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in May 2014 and got strengthened thereafter. Given past experience

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Is Facebook in India Truly Independent of Political Influence?

Date Published: March 10, 2019 Last Modified: March 10, 2019

Facebook, the biggest online social media group in the world, is under unprecedented attack following the publication on 14 November of a 5,000-word investigation by the New York Times alleging a host of questionable practices by the digital conglomerate, that includes WhatsApp and Instagram. The company’s share prices have come down and particular investors have called for the resignation of Mark Zuckerberg, the 34-year-old founder and chief executive officer of Facebook and his 49-year-old

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