The use of social media and the apparent heavy investment in it ahead of TN polls is a first for the state. Never before has the state seen such massive use of social media for electoral polls. Read our story on the Twitter and Blogger wars here.
But close to the heels of the controversy over a social media firm reportedly approaching bloggers to put out content attacking the ruling party, screenshots of emails and WhatsApp conversations are doing the rounds which the DMK claims are proof of AIADMK manipulating social media trends. Here are the screenshots.
In the WhatsApp conversation, a person named Ramachandran is seen asking his team to create 10 fake Twitter and FB IDs and email their details to the AIADMK IT wing. And in the email, an FB account switcher code which has been created using a ‘hack’ to get posts on FB to go viral is being referred to. The president of the AIADMK IT Wing is Ramachandran. It is not known if the screenshots refer to the same Ramachandran. TNM cannot vouch for the authenticity of the emails or WhatsApp conversations and these screenshots.
Speaking to The News Minute, DMK spokesperson Manu Sundaram said, “We have taken note of the screenshots of emails from ADMK IT Wing allegedly claiming to have hacked Facebook codes to switch Facebook accounts. This is a serious breach of the Information Technology laws of the country, not to mention violation of model code of conduct. We hope the appropriate authorities take note of this and come down heavily on those indulging in such manipulations. ADMK must be advised to focus on campaigning within the laws of the land. Such underhanded methods to project a false edge in social media space will not dent the growing grassroots popularity of the DMK."
Several attempts to reach out to AIADMK IT Wing President Ramachandran for a response on clarification went in vain.
Update: Speaking to TNM, Ramachandran said that these screenshots were not authentic and that the AIADMK team has not done any such illegal activity. He said he did not know who has created these "fake" screenshots.