Amid elections, Islamophobic ads flood Meta platforms in India

As the battleground of Indian politics heats up with the ongoing general elections, a worrying trend has emerged, suggesting a significant rise in Islamophobic rhetoric in the context of political advertising campaigns in the neighboring country.

In a report published by ANTENNAit has been revealed that surrogate pages on social media platforms, particularly targeting opponents of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), are actively promoting divisive content, often laden with Islamophobic undertones.

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The research, which delves into Meta’s Ad Library Report for April 2024, highlighted the significant financial investments made by various political entities in social media advertising.

The BJP emerged as the top spender, spending over INR 10 crore on Facebook ads alone, while its main rival, the Indian National Congress, trailed behind with INR 6.5 crore in spending. Other local players like Tamil Nadu’s Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and Odisha’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD) also crossed the INR1 crore mark in advertising spend.

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However, the most worrying aspect revealed by the research was the prevalence of Islamophobic content on affiliate pages. These pages, operating under the guise of independent entities, targeted BJP opponents with advertisements containing dog-whistle messages and inflammatory memes.

Despite efforts by platforms like Meta to clamp down on such content, the emergence of new sites like “Meme Hub” after previous offenders like “MemeXpress” were banned highlights the ongoing challenge of fighting hate speech online.

In addition, the investigation revealed disturbing instances of mainstream political manipulations, including those associated with the BJP, spreading Islamophobic narratives.

Cartoon videos posted by BJP Karnataka and the official BJP Instagram account portrayed Muslims in a derogatory light, perpetuating stereotypes and fueling communal tensions.

The proliferation of surrogate pages linked to political consulting firms such as Varahe Analytics further complicates the landscape, raising questions about the transparency and accountability of online political advertising.

The revelation that these pages are part of a coordinated network, backed by political parties, highlights the need for stricter regulations to curb the spread of hate speech and misinformation.

In response to these findings, concerns have been raised about the potential consequences of such divisive rhetoric on social cohesion and democratic values.

The weaponization of religion for political gain not only undermines the principles of secularism but also poses a threat to the fabric of Indian society.