Influencer trolled: Lessons from social media backlash

Influencer Amulya Ratan faced significant backlash for accusing a bystander of having “zero civic sense” after he walked behind her during a fit check. Netizens consciously noticed that it was a public space where the video was shot. This incident served as a reminder for content creators to be mindful of their words and actions posted online.

Social media has given the authority to showcase creativity, opinion, knowledge, talent, etc., to a wider audience. However, the surge of influencers has become a matter of concern for administrators and policymakers. It is apprehended that these content creators can spread misinformation, terror, misinterpretation, etc. People are closely attached to their digital friends, so they can be easily manipulated. However, consumer attitudes show the opposite, mitigating the concerns of administrators.

Influencer Amulya Ratan accused a bypasser of having zero civic sense after he passed behind her while she was giving her fit check. She further faulted him for not saying sorry. Clearly, these words were unmindfully said out of agitation. The bypasser might not have even noticed her shooting because he was on a phone call. He cannot be expected to notice because it was a public place. It should not be expected of any ordinary person on the street to wait until someone else completes their shoot. People could be in a hurry to reach their destination. Calling such expectations from ordinary people on the street “civic sense” is a slip.

Having noticed the misstatement, people on social media trolled Amulya Ratan. Despite having around 5 million followers, critics took over the internet. This shows that people are not simply passive consumers but are actively engaging with the content. This is a reminder that people are not innocent baby consumers who can be fed and molded through the content shown to them, but they are fully grown consumers who have the consciousness to think, interpret, decide, and then actively praise or criticize the content. This active engagement of consumers is very crucial to keeping creators accountable.

Such incidents remind influencers that their voice should be measured and thoughtful. Following someone does not mean that people will consume content blindly, like a child listening to a fairy tale. Any false allegations, misinformation, or misinterpretation can quickly become a source of backlash. However, this backlash can lead to psychological stress, impacting the mental health and well-being of influencers, thus becoming disproportionate punishment for words said or acts done in a hustle.

There are no proper legal mechanisms to address such issues. The Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill 2023 is underway to formulate laws for content broadcasted online. People are keeping hopes in this bill to maintain a balance of freedom of speech.