Social Media and Activism — Current Affairs 2026
Current Affairs Connections
Twitter's Compliance with IT Rules 2021 and Content Moderation Controversies
February 2024The ongoing tensions between social media platforms and the Indian government over content moderation highlight the challenges of regulating digital activism. Twitter's (now X) compliance issues with the IT Rules 2021, including delays in appointing grievance officers and removing content, demonstrate the practical difficulties in implementing digital governance frameworks. This affects how activist content is moderated and what speech is permitted on platforms, directly impacting the effectiveness of social media activism in India.
UPSC Angle: Expected questions on the balance between platform autonomy and government regulation, constitutional validity of IT Rules 2021, and the impact of content moderation on democratic discourse and activist movements.
Farmers' Protest Digital Campaign and International Celebrity Support
January 2024The farmers' protests demonstrated sophisticated use of social media for sustained activism, including viral hashtags like #FarmersProtest, international celebrity endorsements from Rihanna and Greta Thunberg, and coordinated digital campaigns across multiple platforms. The government's response included temporary Twitter account suspensions and requests to remove content, highlighting tensions between digital activism and state authority. The movement's success in maintaining momentum through digital organizing while facing physical repression illustrates both the power and limitations of social media activism.
UPSC Angle: Questions likely to focus on the role of international support in domestic movements, the effectiveness of digital organizing in sustaining long-term protests, and the constitutional implications of government responses to online activism.