The Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh has introduced the Uttar Pradesh Digital Media Policy, 2024, a new initiative aimed at regulating social media content and engaging influencers to promote state government programs. Drafted by the state’s information department and recently approved by the state cabinet, this policy mirrors similar efforts in Punjab, focusing on leveraging the reach of social media influencers to enhance public awareness of government schemes and achievements.
Under this policy, influencers on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X will be encouraged to create and share content that aligns with the government’s objectives. The state has appointed a digital agency, V-Form, to manage advertising and distribute videos, tweets, posts, and reels promoting the government’s welfare schemes.
The policy categorizes influencers into four groups based on their follower counts and sets out a structured payment model. Influencers will be compensated based on the platform and type of content they produce:
- X, Facebook, Instagram: Influencers can earn up to ₹5 lakh, ₹4 lakh, and ₹3 lakh per month, respectively.
- YouTube: Payments vary depending on content type, with a cap of ₹8 lakh per month for video creators. Short film creators can earn up to ₹7 lakh, while podcast creators and other content producers can receive up to ₹6 lakh and ₹4 lakhs, respectively.
In addition to promoting government initiatives, the policy also imposes strict regulations on content deemed anti-national or defamatory. Posting such content can result in severe penalties, including imprisonment ranging from three years to life.
Dhruv Rathee Finds UP Govt Over Initiative Problematic
YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, a well-known left-leaning commentator, criticized the new social media policy. He labelled it a “legalized bribe” that misuses taxpayer money. He claimed that paying influencers to promote government initiatives is unethical and amounts to bribery.
Uttar Pradesh Govt is saying it will pay up to ₹8 Lakh to Influencers to promote the govt.
This is Legalized Bribery.
From Tax Payer's Money.Any influencer who does this should be publicly shamed.
— Dhruv Rathee (@dhruv_rathee) August 28, 2024
Rathee also called for public shaming of any influencer participating in this program, suggesting that accepting money from the government to promote its achievements compromises their integrity. Netizens questioned whether Rathee’s logic should also apply to traditional media outlets like newspapers and TV channels, which regularly run paid advertisements for government campaigns.
Should all Newspapers and TV Channels, be also shamed, who show paid ads to promote any govt in power ? https://t.co/SeeuAEB7KU
— Gaurav Taneja (@flyingbeast320) August 28, 2024
You my friend, should be publicly shamed for conveniently talking about the stuff that suits you! also, not to forget THE MISINFORMATION FACTORY you had setup in name of news and facts! Have some shame, for the love the god! #DhruvRathee #UttarPradesh #Yogi #influencers https://t.co/cdhxaXtVlJ pic.twitter.com/wmFNMrpbFt
— Aditi R. Minglani (@aditiminglani) August 29, 2024
No newspaper left which are not promoting. Are they doing it for free? #AAP #Congress #RojgarVirodhiCongress #PresidentRule #UttarPradesh #YogiAdityanath https://t.co/B898BH3Z2L pic.twitter.com/5b5WUoFzRD
— Pakhi Shukla (@pakhishukla21) August 28, 2024
Hiring lawyers at govt expense to fight personal cases of corruption is OK.
Giving ads worth crores of rupees in newspapers and News channels about govt's achievements is acceptable.But hiring SM influencers to spread information about the Govt's schemes is bribery !
😊😊 https://t.co/hbkGSaEBSm— Eternal Optimist (@optimistsurgeon) August 28, 2024
Interestingly, Rathee has not made similar criticisms of the Punjab government’s initiative in 2023, which also involved paying influencers to promote the state’s culture, heritage, and governance. The Punjab Influencer Empowerment Policy, 2023, was designed to leverage social media influencers to narrate positive stories about Punjab and included a structured compensation model similar to Uttar Pradesh’s. The AAP-led Punjab government, in October 2023, launched an initiative to leverage social media influencers’ power to share the state’s ‘rich cultural heritage, vibrant traditions, and progressive governance initiatives’. The initiative was titled ‘Punjab Influencer Empowerment Policy, 2023’.
The ‘Punjab Influencer Empowerment Policy, 2023‘ aimed to ‘harness the storytelling prowess of social media influencers’ to narrate compelling stories about Punjab’s cultural diversity, historical heritage, and the progressive steps taken by the government. The policy categorized influencers based on their subscriber base across various social media platforms. The five distinct categories, as outlined in the policy, determined the compensation structure for influencers participating in this initiative. Surprisingly, it is very similar to the one proposed by the UP government.
- Category A: Influencers with more than one million subscribers are eligible for a maximum compensation of ₹8 lakh per campaign.
- Category B: Influencers with a subscriber base between five lakhs to one million can earn up to ₹5 lakhs per campaign.
- Category C: For those with one lakh to five lakh subscribers, the compensation is capped at ₹3 lakh per campaign.
- Category D: Influencers with a following between 50,000 to one lakh are also eligible for up to ₹3 lakh per campaign.
- Category E: Those with 10,000 to 50,000 subscribers can similarly earn up to ₹3 lakh per campaign.
Similar campaigns were put forth by the Rajasthan Congress government in 2023 and more recently the Karnataka Congress government as well in 2024.
Rathee’s silence on Punjab’s initiative has once again raised questions about his integrity and his double standards in his selective outrage. While Rathee has been vocal against the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government’s use of influencers, his lack of commentary on the AAP-led Punjab government or the then Congress-led Rajasthan government, or the Congress-led Karnataka government’s similar approaches shows his blatant bias.
ಉತ್ತರ ಪ್ರದೇಶದಿಂದ ಇವನಿಗೆ ಕಾಸು ಸಿಗೋದಿಲ್ಲ ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಉರಿ ಸಂಕಟ https://t.co/V72p41bBqj pic.twitter.com/F98SxIMfR8
— rraavviiind (@rraavviiind) August 30, 2024
Once more, Rathee’s bias against the ruling BJP comes to the fore. He seems to have his lips sealed when someone from parties other than the BJP would have done similar things. If hypocrisy had a face, it would look like Dhruv Rathee.
Subscribe to our Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram channels and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.