The Uttar Pradesh government's new Digital Media Policy, 2024, marks a dangerous precedent in the intersection of governance and digital expression. Approved by Yogi Adityanath's cabinet, it purports to promote the state’s achievements by enlisting influencers to act as mouthpieces of the government. By offering lucrative deals to content creators for pushing government narratives on platforms like X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, the policy effectively blurs the line between authentic influence and state propaganda. This move raises serious ethical concerns. Influencers, whose credibility rests on perceived authenticity, will inevitably face a conflict of interest. Accepting such offers would reduce them to mere advertisers, eroding public trust in their content. The broader implications are even more troubling: this policy appears to be an indirect method of funnelling state funds to influencers aligned with government interests, thus fostering a culture of favouritism and bias.
Moreover, the draconian punishments included in the policy — up to life imprisonment for those producing content deemed “anti-national, obscene, or objectionable” — pose a significant threat to free speech. The vague language used in these provisions opens the door to potential misuse, where even mild criticism could be construed as a criminal act. This creates a chilling effect on discourse, silencing dissent and stifling democratic dialogue. In a country like India where unity overwhelms diversity, the role of social media should be to facilitate open and honest communication, not to serve as a tool for government control. The Digital Media Policy is a clear overreach, undermining both media freedom and the democratic principles that uphold it. It is imperative that the public and the media speak out against this authoritarian manoeuvre before it sets a dangerous precedent nationwide and causes India to slip further down in the rankings on media freedom.
