The Youth of India is tech savvy. College going students and even school students know how to make the best use of Social Media, or at least that's what they think. Bypassing security protocols over a college network, online promotions, gossiping, networking, they know all about it.
However Social Media is much more than that. Just sample this.
On the same lines as Delhi Traffic Police on Facebook, similar initiative was taken by our District Police head in Himachal. Surprisingly, in Himachal with comparatively less internet reach, the
Facebook Page started by District Police became popular overnight. The youth was the main propagating medium of this page. They saw any law-and-order problem on the road or at any public place, they made it a habit to take a picture and the rest was the job of the District Police. Our Police with limited manpower got its social cops and the youth was actively participating in the change. That's how Social Media helps.
It makes you a part of the system. It helps you add pace to the system. It helps to voice your opinion. And that's why the Youth must vote because that's when they can ask questions and seek answers responsibly.
Edited They said AAP is just Social Media hype and Social Media doesn't vote. It was a challenge to the Youth of India blaming them of not taking part in the greatest event of a democracy. And now we all know what happened. AAP simply defied the conventional rules of politics. A debutant defeated a three times CM. That is the power of the youth. That is the power of Social Media. And nobody knows it better than the defeated candidates in Delhi.
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| Community Participation in Policing | The Power of Social Media |
Now the best thing about Social Media is that it spreads like fire in the jungle. Another Facebook Page was started in
Shimla. The Youth of our state got a way to participate and express themselves.
One of the major reasons why our youth hesitates in voting is the lethargy of the system. It works very slow. And this laziness often becomes the excuse to not do anything. Social Media works fast, nearly at the speed of the light. And with these fancy Social Media apps around, it becomes even easier to learn and spread the word.
Facebook, Twitter, WeChat are some of the most popular Social Media apps these days. You want to share images, or audio files, or video files; all can be done merely at one click. Our politicians fear Social Media because anybody can talk to anybody on the Social Media. You can't hide or suppress the truth here. Everybody is equal here. You don't need permission to tweet to the Prime Minister of India. And if you are mishandled by the high and mighty, you can always share the links or images by using Social Media Apps, say WeChat.
Create a group, and spread the news. It's that simple. No permissions, no approvals, no nothing. That's Democracy!
And we have seen of late how Social Media helps. The Delhi Rape case, the Anna Movement, the advent of the Aam Aadmi Party, and the list is just swelling with each passing day. Two of the major National Parties have hired Social Media agencies to reach out to the Youth of India.
Gone are the days of fake promises and nonsensical caste based politics. The Youth of India has found its voice in Social Media. They discuss things, they think about their future, and above all they know why voting is important for them. The recent high voter turn-out in the Delhi election (post 5 P.M.) is a positive outcome of these discussions and social media effect.
The Social Media is here to stay and the Youth of India knows this.
Here are few things that must be done to ensure a healthy voter turn-out in the upcoming Loksabha Elections
1.
Discuss: There is a popular saying of the modern times, "
Baat karne se hi baat banti hai". The Youth must realize the importance of healthy discussions because its 'our' future we are talking about.
2.
Share Share the news of good or bad governance with your friends in your group chats. Sharing means more people will get to know about the good or bad deeds of a particular party. Political Parties these days are brand conscious, they can't afford to anger the Youth of this country. If a bad deed catches attention of the Youth, the party will have to take corrective measures.
3.
Set the Agenda Social Media is not about gossips and sharing anymore. It sets the agenda for the Main Stream Media. What is being discussed in the Social Media is often picked by the print and TV Media because that's what the Youth of this country wants to talk about.
We have been often told that Social Media doesn't matter because those who use it do not vote. The times are changing now. The Youth of India is no more indifferent. It knows what matters and what does not.
With all these social media apps around, hopefully the 2014 Loksabha elections will set a new precedent in the history of Independent India. The democracy will get redefined next year.
By the people, For the People. The Youth no more indifferent.
This post is a part of #VoteforIndia Campaign by Indiblogger in participation with WeChat
