Democracy is most uniting factor after Cricket and Cinema in India. Elections are much awaited celebration of our democracy.
General election 2014 will be largest democratic exercise across globe expected to be participated by billions of Indian. In election, a slightest move in a remote village may affect fate in mightiest of politicians.
Recently we saw, one of the most powerful chief minister departed even after remarkable development and transformation of dusty tired city of Delhi to rejuvenated green refreshing image of India. We may cite rampant corruption in these developmental projects and lack of essential amenities on grass root. But all these are neither limited to present time nor limited to particular geography.
We may correctly think; public awareness, micro communication, spread of information, education and knowledge about rights and duties of citizens and Governments. Present election season is much different from earlier elections due to wide-spread presence of social media. Social media offer wide spectrum for information sharing as well as verities of information. Information considered as irrelevant by seasoned news editors may catch eye of social gathering present on social media and results may be catastrophic. Recent Janlokpal movement was considered a creation of media but its further development and spread was indeed based on social media. The Anti – rape protests of 2012 was its momentum solely on social media despite of all efforts of Indian establishment to restrain it.
Mobile App (Photo credit: mdurwin2)
Recently, Indian youth are inclined to mobile devices for its online presence on social media. Many tools have already developed on several mobile platforms. This is easy to spread and gather information at real – time virtually from anywhere. However, present of paid advertising strategists, social media bots has reduced significance of social media considerably. Further, a basic fact of human psyche is to believe much a person whom you trust in real life, whom you have met. Here, role of social mobile apps come into picture.
Social mobile apps have significantly plays a role of spreading information through a reliable source. Every recipient trust sender of information, if he knows the sender and it create a chain of trust. The recipient further spread trust information without asking for it to its contacts further. This chain of trust may be mobilised to spread awareness on positive side.
Even though voter turnout has been increased recently, but more is required to inspire voters to cast vote. Usually people vote more in local and state elections because many daily and localised issues may be affected in these elections. Many voters do not connect themselves with national governance. Here use of media, social media as well as social mobile apps comes here. Election commission, government agencies and others may appeal voters from time to time to exercise their franchise. But this is not enough. Voters will vote only when they have proper understanding of political issues and agenda. Political awareness is most important among voters to bring them to polling booth and exercise their franchise.
Proper use is social mobile apps is certainly a challenge for political publicity managers. This depends on many factors; relevance, reliability, contents and spread. Unless a voter does connect himself to a political issue, he will not come forward to vote. The message should be short and well drafted. The issues conveyed must totally be focused on relevant to day to day life of voters. Voters are increasingly aware to identify and ignore false, emotional, irrelevant issues. However, they are still not free from all biases yet. The messages should spread among well – connected known people who may forward and circulate the message immediately to their connections.
Here another important factor is use of easy to use and popular social mobile apps for this purpose. The apps must be easy to use, easily downloadable, working across all mobile platforms, well performing and certainly a popular one. We need to send text, picture, video and visual arts to communicate young voters.
During next Indian general election 2014, every Indian should actively participate to ensure more people come forward to vote. Use of social mobile apps will play a major role for me. I have pointed programme for this purpose –
- Short message or Video or Relevant pictorial
- Easy to understand
- Sober, sophisticated language
- Real, relevant and direct communication
- Thoughtful and thought provoking
- Discussion but not judgemental
- Inviting voters to participate in discussions
- Helping informed decision making
- Democracy of decision making
- Prompting to participate in nation building
- Prompting to vote
- Ask to forward messages
This post is written for Contest “Indian General Election 2014 with Social Mobile Apps” organised by Indiblogger and WeChat. However view are personal.
Related articles
- ‘Young voters can bring drastic changes to electoral results’ (thehindu.com)
- Rajesh Jain: Plan To Connect Voter ID With Mobile Number For Microtargeting Of Political Campaigns (medianama.com)
- On The Role Of Social Media In The Delhi Elections (medianama.com)
AishMGhrana 