Dhruv Rathee Condemns UP Government’s New Social Media Policy

YouTuber Dhruv Rathee has openly criticized the Uttar Pradesh government’s new social media policy, which aims to pay influencers to promote state policies and schemes. Under this policy, influencers who publicly praise the government can earn up to INR 8 lakh per month.

According to the new policy, influencers are compensated based on their number of subscribers or followers. Those promoting the government on social media platforms like X, Facebook, and Instagram can earn between INR 1 lakh to 5 lakh per month, while YouTubers can receive between INR 4 lakh to 8 lakh, depending on their audience size. The policy also grants the government authority to take legal action against influencers who post content deemed anti-social, anti-national, or defamatory.

“This is a legitimate bribe”

However, Rathee, known for his outspoken views, expressed his disapproval on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Yogi Adityanath is using our tax money to pay bribes to influencers. This is a legitimate bribe. You should not accept the money given by the government. We should publicly shame those promoting the Yogi government just for money.” He highlighted the ethical concerns of using taxpayer money to incentivize social media endorsements.

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

He another post, he questioned, stating, “Lets keep it simple Should any Govt waste TAXPAYER MONEY on paying Influencers? (Most influencers won’t speak on this topic because of obvious reasons).

Lets keep it simple

Should any Govt waste TAXPAYER MONEY on paying Influencers?

(Most influencers won’t speak on this topic because of obvious reasons)

— Dhruv Rathee (@dhruv_rathee) August 28, 2024

Dhruv Rathee, who has a substantial online presence with over 24 million followers on YouTube, 2.8 million followers on X, and 12 million followers on Instagram, continues to reach millions with his videos, many of which quickly go viral. His criticism of the policy aligns with broader discontent, as numerous internet users and opposition parties have also condemned the UP government’s move.

The Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress, have condemned the policy, alleging it is an attempt to stifle freedom of expression. The SP, for example, criticized the government on X, stating, “What else will the public expect from a scared government? The public will strongly oppose this BJP plan to curb freedom of expression.”

Pankhuri Pathak, the social media chairperson for UP Congress, argued that the policy is designed to financially support influencers and companies that promote the BJP government while punishing those who express dissenting views. She claimed that this financial support would come from taxpayers’ money intended for public welfare, not government propaganda.

While the BJP has praised the policy as an “innovative move” by the Yogi Adityanath government to create jobs and combat misinformation on social media, opposition parties view it as an effort to curb free speech and misuse public funds. BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi defended the initiative, stating, “The Yogi Adityanath government moves forward with innovations. It pays attention to the changes happening in society. The digital media policy will create new jobs.”

What are your thoughts on the new policy? Share your views in the comments section below!