Tweets and the political class

BY MAYA RANGANATHAN| IN Digital Media | 20/09/2009

The snowballing of  Shashi Tharoor's remarks to the extent of a call for disciplinary action against him by the Congress party to which he belongs and expulsion as a minister, not only indicates a lack of perspective of an overly 'sensitive' public, but also a total lack of understanding of the platforms that new media provides for the personal voice and quick response time.

Tharoor overlooked not merely the dynamics of Indian politics, the lack of understanding of English idiom and phraseology and Indians' 'over sensitivity', which many astute writers have commented upon, but more importantly, the ignorance among politicians and the intelligentsia in India of the nature of new media and its various platforms. The controversy might have filled some space and time for the news-greedy electronic media, but significantly, it has thrown light on the yawning gap between the evolution of newer platforms of expression and the limitations of polticians in India in understanding them.

It is worthwhile to remember that Tharoor's much-bandied comment was not his considered reaction to Congress' austerity drive contained in a press statement or even a response made at a press conference. To a question 'Tell us Minister, next time you travel to Kerala, will it be cattle class?', sent through Twitter on September 14 at 11.57 p m, Tharoor responded almost immediately,"Absolutely, in cattle class out of solidarity with all our holy cows!'' The Minister repeated the words used by the journalist and responded through the same platform. If indeed the medium is the message, can Tharoor's remarks be considered in isolation, ignoring the platform it was carried in?

The extreme reactions that Tharoor's tweet has evoked, points to how the platforms provided by new media are being treated much like the ones that have preceded it and irrespective of their characteristics, analysed and condemned within the framework of the traditional media. Tweets, like personal blogs are more vehicles of personal opinion and need to be treated so. In fact, a majority of tweets have been classified under 'pointless babble'. Tweeting, more than blogging are musings texted in haste. BlackBerrys that incorporate the platform make possible the personal voice and the rapid response. Its users are tech-savvy and the language used has been adapted to its technological features.

More recent than blogs, Twitter is a micro-blogging service that allows 140 characters for the user to communicate with their 'followers'. It has caught the imagination of the young with a popular activity being users attempting stories in 140 characters on Twitter. The number of followers that determines the users' popularity is most often dependent on the wit and the brevity of the message as also the profile of the user.

Tharoor's engagement with Twitter started during the days of his election campaign when he used the platform to woo voters and his popularity grew after he was elected and became a minister. Today, he is a popular tweeter with 1,76,342 followers beating filmy tweeters like actors Gul Panag with about 18,700 followers and Mallika Sherawat with 17,300 followers. His popularity as tweeter is apparent with his followers rallying behind him condemning the"morose politicians" in need of a"humour resources manager''.

It is not just one of the most popular websites but also the third most used popular networking site. Tharoor has been called 'Minister Twitter' for his loyalty to the platform. Journalists have used it to contact the minister, as one did in this case, and have often appreciated his quick and prompt response. He has responded to queries ranging from India's foreign policy, and even the state of regional passport centres. The Twitter tabulation website, Twitterholic ranked Tharoor's account as the one with the largest following based in New Delhi.

Tharoor's performance as a politician or minister may be in question, but not his ingenious use of the new media. Adapting to the 140 character-format of the Twitter, his responses have been informative and entertaining. Some of his tweets have been on the mosquito menace in Kochi ("If mosquitoes had a vote I'd win every election in Kochi! Another near-sleepless night in this otherwise lovely city") and on corruption ("I will not practice or condone corruption, but fighting it is not my principal job").

The evolution of online language, from e-mail to SMS, has not only called for a rethink on the conventional notions of written and spoken language but also for a rethink on propriety and decency.  To treat a tweet like a statement in a newspaper that provides for more space, time and review, is to do injustice to the platform and to rob it of its quick and effective communication potential. The much ado about Tharoor's tweet reiterates the argument that in light of computer-aided technologies offering a range of platforms for expression, it is high time a fresh evaluation is made on issues such as freedom of expression, language and libel.