Turning Complainants Into Followers

Wallposts & Tweets Are In; Complaint Boxes Are Out

SANJAY PINTO 

You may have come across an SMS rant about how a pizza reaches home faster than an ambulance! Whether or not that smacks of exaggeration is debatable. But there can be no two opinions that the response time is such a key element in customer interface that today a business entity can do a Dale Carnegie and ‘Win Friends & Influence People’ on the social media with ease. Quite like Sunny Gavaskar who was known to use the pace of the Carribean quickies to make the ball reach the boundary  faster, mobile operators’ twitter handles like @ Airtel_Presence  or @VodafoneIN or @TataDocomo have been converting a good number of complainants or feedback providers into followers. The response time, they claim, is less than ten minutes and their dedicated cyber net teams are active between six in the morning till twelve midnight. Let off steam on twitter about a connectivity issue or even the eternal telemarketing menace despite being on the Do Not Disturb registry and you get an immediate reply with a request for more details through a Direct Message. The trick here is that you need to follow each other to be able to send direct messages. That’s the first step in the following, as it were. Of course, the proof of the following is in the follow up! With more than fifty thousand to a lakh tweets and twenty five to fifty thousand followers, these  private mobile operators have realised the scope for a speedy redressal mechanism on twitter and facebook. Or call it customer anger management if you like!

Contrast this proactive approach with what I’m tempted to refer to as the King Herod mindset of a public sector telecom body . The Roman King had come up with a fiat to kill all male new born babies just to wipe out any future threat to the throne. With a similar broad sweep strategy, to remind a few defaulters, every subscriber is disturbed. So even those who have paid their bills, are woken up with reminder calls at odd hours. I have even got SMS payment acknowledgements at two in the morning and a payment reminder the next day, perhaps unwittingly designed to ruin that rare afternoon siesta! Surely, they can spare customers who have paid up, of this nuisance, instead of reminding everyone in their database with an afterthought: “If you have already paid your bill, please ignore this”.  What’s worse, the other day my broadband connection stopped working. The Service Centre nonchalantly mentioned that a server was being changed. How about the courtesy of advance intimation to customers that even Electricity Boards give out?

If private players can reach out to customers on the social media, and even the Chennai Traffic Police or the US Consulate in Chennai  can engage with the public on facebook quite effectively, what is stopping public sector undertakings and other government departments from keeping up with the times? Mindsets. And archaic rules like banning social media sites in office computers. As if most people don’t have them on their mobile phones. In this age of mobile number portability, the customer may not be the king but definitely a chooser. And it does make sense to reach out to a few crore  people on their very own platform.

Ideally, every civic body, every police commissionerate, as well as other departments like Registration, Passport, Transport, Electricity and so on that have high public interaction, must be on the social media. Let the respective pages be monitored by the department heads periodically. With the private sector, we have a choice; with some of those government wings, we don’t. All the more reason for interaction between public servants and the people they serve, in the medium of today. When let’s say,  a senior citizen, sitting at home, manages to reach the Police Commissioner at a designated hour, that’s empowerment. That’s accountability too. Wallposts and tweets are here to stay. The days of shabby complaint boxes opened once in six months, are over.

(An edited version of this column of mine was published in The Hindu)

A Tale Of Two Concerns

What Is Sauce For The Mainstream Media Should Be Sauce For The Social Media Too.

SANJAY PINTO 

It’s worth recalling English jurist Jeremy Bentham’s observation “Where there is no publicity, there is no justice. Publicity is the very soul of justice. It is the keenest spur to exertion and the surest of all guards against improbity. It keeps the judge himself while trying, under trial.” Quoted in a few landmark judgments of the yesteryears like the Naresh Shridhar Mirajkar case, this Bentham gem is a reminder of the old toss up between the open justice system and privacy coupled with a fair trial. A debate rekindled by the recent Supreme Court verdict that allows postponement of publication in select and sensitive trials. Yet again, the mainstream media under the scanner.

The same week, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh raised the issue of abuse of the social media by mischievous elements in his meeting with Directors General Of Police. Two authorities, two separate concerns. Today, there are defamation suits claiming damages of a hundred crore over a tweet, filed in India. So why is regulation, which constantly haunts the mainstream media, considered a bad word in the context of the social media? It’s all very well to keep placing checks and balances for newspapers and television channels but what about the possible world ‘wild’ web sections on twitter and facebook? Public opinion is created, cemented and disseminated much faster on these platforms. Hours before a prime time discussion on national tv  could take place or a strongly worded editorial could come out, the verdict was already out on twitter and facebook on the biggest stories of the week. On cartoonist Aseem. On the Koodankulam protest. Both these cases were being heard in courts. Can it be anyone’s contention that tweets, retweets, wall posts or tags are any less potent? That they come with diminished potential of influencing minds that matter? I’d say there is more hard hitting and incisive commentary on this platform. The 140 character brevity is now a fine art! Two sets of rules? At least, there are Editors to take the rap for objectionable content in news reports. Who will take responsibility for trolls and orchestrated vilification campaigns on the social media? Twitter Inc which does not even have an office in India? Anonymous folks or worse, those with fake identities who revel in sniper shots? Please don’t misconstrue my line of argument. I’m as much a fan and beneficiary of the social media as I am of the concept of  ‘with great power comes great responsibility’. That I have ceased to be a part of the mainstream media from this week should establish my bonafides!  

While there is anger on the social network, there is also the softer side. Some of the most sentimental comments on Yuvraj Singh’s comeback and the passing away of the ‘Milkman of India’ Verghese Kurien were not on tv or the papers but on walls and through tweets. And yes, on the Amul billboards too, that I’ve grown up admiring.

(An edited version of this column of mine was published in The Hindu)

Free Speech Vs Hate Speech

Blocking twitter handles is like yelling "shut up" to a person screaming!

SANJAY PINTO

The guillotine for dandruff? That’s the broad charge against the government of India for it’s attempt to clamp down on the social media against the backdrop of  rumour triggered violence against citizens from the North East. Faced with a volatile situation, the authorities were undoubtedly walking on egg shells. But by blocking twitter handles of innocent but well connected individuals, the authorities ended up with egg on their face; scoring an own goal, as the social media waved the red card with somewhat justified ‘I told you so’ indignation. Not to speak of sermons on how the government could have tackled rumours with information; instead of going after parody accounts.

We do need to understand that the social media emerged the way it has, because of disenchantment against the common enemy - the ‘system’ – politicians, officials and even the mainstream media. And when officialdom takes on this section that’s armed to the finger nails with anonymity, it’s a lost battle from the start. Like Jesus said “he who has not sinned pick up the first stone”; the social media is entitled to ask politicians as to how many of them have made inflammatory speeches in the past. What is their credibility to now preach to the common man? The malady is that neither are the authorities tech savvy or quick enough; nor do they understand human psychology to deal with this rather piquant situation. Piquant also because there are vast sections on twitter who lack the maturity to hold their punches when circumstances warrant restraint or to even suffer fools gladly.

To add to the circus are innumerable self styled ‘cyber experts’ who vie with one another; or even hire PR agencies, for their fifteen seconds of ‘fame’ on national television or to try a ‘quote’ marshall in the papers, just to spew text book sort of ‘solutions’ like the constitution of a Super Nodal Agency or whatever, with some of them as members! Blocking is often a cure worse than the disease. It’s like yelling “shut up” to a man screaming! And the sms restriction that was by-passed made officials seem too clever by half.  Still, there were those who couldn’t get text alerts on bank account withdrawals, delays in train and flight departures, stock market updates.

I’m just wondering if it is possible to monitor  key search words and take quick corrective action. The Cyber Society Of India has mooted the idea of India developing  its own indigenous operating systems, search engines, anti  virus  kits and servers, so that we don’t have to rely on foreign powers for technological support during an emergency. The suggestion on mobile phone number verification for  website creation or on social networking platforms comes from those who probably have not watched ‘A Wednesday’! Identity proof is hardly foolproof today. Everytime you get your driving licence or some other ID card photocopied outside, how sure are you that an extra copy isn’t surreptitiously  made and misused? All that you need to get a pre paid sim card is a photocopy of any of these documents! Physical verification of addresses based on identity proof submitted, happens at least a fortnight later. Unless, in this case, twitter has proper filters and more importantly, the will to keep out incendiary content, a realistic golden mean between free speech and hate speech can hardly be worked out.

Coming to the much bandied about  ‘self regulation’ magic potion. It did work with the mainstream media especially during the Babri Masjid judgment. The National Broadcasters Association is a vibrant body that silently sets standards and tries to make news channels adhere to a code of ethics. The Press Council Of India has a proactive, well meaning but sometimes misunderstood Chief. Early in my career, I remember Superintendents Of Police in sensitive districts informing journalists about some statue of a caste leader being damaged by miscreants but requesting us not to report it in the interest of peace. I know of many mediapersons who complied in public interest. Because free speech is not absolute. And in a toss up between freedom of expression and human life, the latter must always prevail. The social media that has its legitimate space in a democracy must also show restraint in a crisis. That will be a far better response to politicians than calling them names.

(An edited version of this column of mine was published in The Hindu)

The Hide & Tweet Effect

SANJAY PINTO 

In his dramatic monologue on ‘The Faultless Painter’, Robert Browning used the expression “less is more”. More recently, one of the most prolific politicians on twitter – Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, seemed provoked enough to tweet that “I never thought I'd say this but I love having nothing to say on Twitter.” A fortnight ago, the “tweet a minute” CM had hinted that twitter was a “lose-lose” situation, referring to his ‘damned if you tweet, damned if you don’t’ predicament. If this is how one of the youngest Chief Ministers, who has tweeted over five thousand two hundred times, feels about the social media, how would one of the oldest former Chief Ministers view the barrage of comments on his foray into twitter? Be it Karunanidhi or any bigwig, I for one, welcome the entry of political leaders on the social media. It is a healthy sign. A reality check. Away from sycophancy, to quite the opposite! I just hope they don’t use it as a mere propaganda tool but actually engage with citizens. For many a dramatic dialogue! And will ghost writers please stay away?

When leaders tweet their political views or announcements, they may well dispense with the much  sought after press conferences. But there could be more inconvenient questions here. A media interaction is usually with about two dozen reporters; face to face at that. Twitter engagement is with lakhs of people; each an Editor In Chief of their own accounts, many with a degree of anonymity, firing the most difficult, often nasty salvos. There can be no excuse for slander but can they take hard hitting posers, harsh criticism? Or fair comment? Or just the truth? (The last two being exceptions to criminal defamation) Mamata Banerjee is reported to have jailed a poor man who asked her a tough question. So can politicians take it? The phrase ‘If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen’ is relevant. It’s one thing to sign up on twitter but quite another to last. For that you need a thick skin. At the time of writing this column, @kalaignar89 has 3460 followers, 8 tweets and follows no one. While some of his party colleagues like Khushbu Sundar are elated, there are barbs coming in thick and fast. Someone suggests that tweets in Hindi or Sanskrit be sent to his account, others harp on 2G. Going by the number of fake profiles or handles of celebrities, many wonder if this is the real account of Karunanidhi. It reportedly is.

Forget the bitter rivalry among the political class. Are ‘We The People’ tolerant enough? Do we show enough respect for a different view, political or otherwise? My hunch is that despite the most common “Does Not Matter” statement on Political Views on facebook profiles,  many of us are as political as the parties. In person we may communicate in measured tones on political issues, if at all. The moment we log on to the net, something snaps and we go berserk. This is probably another factor that makes several politicians avoid the social media like swine flu! And it’s not only about the ‘hide and tweet’ trend. Go beyond even twitter to the Comments sections on news websites. Some are moderated, many are not. Some have a provision to report abuse. Those that are not monitored or edited are a virtual free for all. Many of the comments are certainly not printable. Or telecast worthy. Can a publication or channel allow on its website such defamatory content that it would never ever imagine going into print in say its ‘Letters To The Editor’ columns or as feedback on air? This is another form of social media. And we cannot have double standards.

Now for a dash of hope. I recently came across a page on facebook of a band – ‘Aarohi’ Deriving its name from the ascending note in music, this group reflects a sense of corporate karma. The band formed by lawyer Harishankar Mani, corporate honcho Sudeep Sangameswaran and others, belts out music solely to support orphanages. Charity for a song! Please welcome the good guys on the social media.

(An edited version of this column of mine was published in The Hindu)

Why Campaigning Works Better Than Violent Threats

SANJAY PINTO 

We’ve all heard school teachers telling their students that using foul language is a symptom of poor vocabulary. It jolly well is. In just the same way, getting abusive on the social media platform betrays a complete poverty of ideas. There is no dearth of people in India who may be angry, disappointed and let down by our politicians. It’s not just Team Anna. Not all of them need to or do show up at demonstrations or venues of fasts. It doesn’t mean they feel less strongly about corruption or other issues or are reluctant to champion a cause. Because there are methods. And there are methods. And there is the social media. A tweet or a wall post can be as effective as holding a placard outside someone’s home or office or along a route. But just how prudently is this done?

I’ve come across tweets against political bigwigs that are downright intimidatory and clearly constitute offences under the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act. Sample some. “I will worship the soil on which the corpse of xxx is found.”  Or, “I just can’t wait to put raw rice grains into the mouth of xxx.” (The reference is to a cremation ritual)  Then there’s this one: “xxx should be roasted alive.” And “The decapitated torso of xxx will be found on a street corner.” There are more direct threats: “xxx will be shot soon.” At one level, this could be the handiwork of loose canons rather than guided missiles. I’m not sure how many recipients of these threats read them or take them seriously. A poet in Chennai recently filed a criminal complaint after someone on twitter threatened to throw acid on her face. While few may actually intend carrying out their threats, the trend is yet another reflection of the violent society we live in. If you analyse the profiles of these individuals (assuming the information revealed is correct) and their language proficiency, you will find that many of them are well educated and well placed! Their cowboy tactics denigrate the medium and make it seem like an anti social media section.

If you want to take on the powers that be, there are courts, elections, space in the mainstream media and certainly better and civilised ways of using the social media. A few days ago, I put up a status message on facebook , looking for a case study of women drivers stalked and harassed by roadside Romeos after the ban on sun control film on cars. Not only did I get more than sufficient feedback, a healthy debate broke out on that thread and a friend suggested a powerful initiative – 'Hollaback! Chennai'. It’s tagline: “I don’t accept street harassment, I holla back!” says it all. I’ve heard of the global movement but it was good to know that a local chapter existed. The page has useful posts like “What to do when someone tries to grab you” and a healthy exchange of ideas and experiences.

Have you heard of avaaz.org? It calls itself “a global  web movement to bring people powered politics to decision making everywhere.” The site has had its share of impact and success. Consider what it flaunts on its home page. “In just 3 weeks, over 3 million of us worldwide signed a petition opposing a scandalous bill that would give the US government the right to shut down any website – targeting sites like YouTube, WikiLeaks and even Avaaz! We worked with other organisations such as DemandProgress, and President Obama’s team responded. Avaaz organised a 1 hour meeting with top White House officials to deliver the petition. The White House subsequently condemned the bill and key backers withdrew their support. As of right now, the Internet censorship bill is dead in the water. When we started, everyone told us the bill could not be stopped, now it’s been ditched by both parties -- a huge win for internet freedom and for people power!”

Here are classic cases of technology and the pester power of campaigning  put to good use. To be a change agent, you don’t need to call people names. Just Holla back or raise your avaaz! 

(An edited version of this column of mine was published in The Hindu)