Inquirer: Online Election Campaigning

As we head deeper into the digital era, the various mediums of information transfer are continuously evolving, with some finding creative ways to wrap that piece of information around your head. Yes, we are talking about memes, reels, WhatsApp DMs, and all such digital entertainment instruments. In addition to their typical objective of keeping people amused, the creators couldn’t help but find utility in these instruments in one of the most essential aspects of modern society—Elections. 

So let’s boil it down to something more proximate, shall we? We bet that almost every one of you who’s reading this has some sort of interaction with IITD’s very own “Poltu” season. In the even semester, it's “that time of the year” when your seniors would get super friendly, and every other friend group would have some info on who is contesting for what PoR. While many contest in the elections with the hope of getting a coveted PoR (often at the expense of their academics), the rest just sit back and see the highlights. Now, where do these fence sitters get their share of election gossip, you ask? Well, while there is no formal channel for online election campaigning in place, people have devised their own witty way to bridge the gap, i.e., the meme pages. 

While the proponents of online campaigning on campus may claim that they are just exercising free speech to create awareness, the onset of these digital channels has raised questions about the privacy and public image of the contesting candidates, with many meme channels posting targeted content, often slut-shaming, downplaying, and propagating disrespectful references against the candidates.

In this comprehensive report, we explore the various facets of online election campaigning and the standpoints of various parties involved to help you better understand an important dynamic of the election season at IITD.

Institutional Guidelines and Admin's take:

Appendix A of the Students' Election PDF clearly outlines the rules for Manifestos and Campaigning that prohibit any student, a candidate, or someone on behalf of the candidate  from campaigning electronically in any form. Posting on WhatsApp groups, Instagram stories, and circulating messages are some examples of the offence. 

Additionally, no pamphlets, handouts, or campaigning through Social Media, etc., is allowed. 

All these actions carry strict consequences and can lead to candidates being debarred from the election and, in serious cases, even expelled from hostels. 

As a part of our investigation, we reached out to Prof. S Pradyumna, Associate Dean, Student Events, to get some insights on how the administration views the idea of campaigning through online mediums. Here’s what they had to say -

Q. Campaigning is an activity that is a sign of a robust democracy. What was the rationale behind implementing strict restrictions on election campaigning at IIT Delhi?

The rationale behind restricting online campaigning during elections was to ensure that there were limited cases of defamation and derogatory comments against the competing candidates. And this is something which has happened quite a lot in the past, that people have been coming with complaints of them being vulgarly criticised on social media.

And even if you look at the electorate size for most of the elections at IIT Delhi, they are practically approachable, and one can simply campaign by talking to them, which also further mitigates the need for robust online campaigning.

Q. Is there an established mechanism to monitor and enforce these restrictions effectively? How does the Election Commission ensure compliance with the no-campaigning policy?

So as of now, we don't have any admin body that is actively looking out for such incidents; rather, we act on the complaints received by the Dean's office. An investigation is then carried out by us or the competent authorities (Delhi Police Cyber Cell), depending on the type of situation.

Q. In other IITs, they have a provision of releasing the manifestos of the interested candidates on social media beforehand. Do you think that something like this can be implemented in IIT Delhi? 

That is an interesting idea. Currently, we do not have an official online platform for election-related discussions. A dedicated page where manifestos are published could be a structured way to inform voters. If comments were disabled, it could reduce unnecessary controversies. This is something that can be explored further.

Additionally, in light of the upcoming student elections and the online activity surrounding it, the administration has responded with a strict warning. Sent via webmail, the intimation reiterates that the institute will take any instances of cyber harassment very seriously and will thoroughly investigate any reported instance, involving even the Cyber Crime unit of the Delhi police, if any such activity is not immediately brought to a stop.

Interestingly, they also warn hostels against coordinating with alumni and outsiders, and encourage everyone to keep the integrity of the democratic process alive.

Survey: Perception Of Memepages on Campus

It’s just a joke - public perception of Meme Pages

Interestingly, most of our responders (66%) believe meme pages to be nothing more than light-hearted banter instead of active propaganda, though some of them still acknowledge that they could be offensive to people.

Thus, it’s natural to conclude that the vast majority of the consumers of meme pages, at least, are not deeply invested, or even care very much, about the politics that they see memes on. They just come across familiar names, have a laugh, and scroll on.

So… problem solved?

That being said, it isn’t too uncommon for students to come across memes that are related to an election they have a vote in. This is only natural, since as our survey tells us, the most common discovery of these pages is through follow requests from the pages itself, and the pages would tend to prefer a followership of people that have some relation to the content they’re posting.

On top of this, it was pointed out that meme pages are often the very first source of information for people who are otherwise uninformed of the political scene. This could lead to subconscious first impressions that stick. It is important to note that this section of students also happens to be the most easily influenced one. 

So, how strong are these biases? There’s obviously no way to quantify how strongly people are influenced by meme pages, be it through statistics or analysis. However, given the close margins of victory that our student bodies have seen in recent years (they’ve been in the single digits even in triple-digit electorates), it’s safe to say that a considerable number of those votes, and subsequent victories, could have been owing to the influence of online campaigning. 

Most Targeted Societies

Based on student responses, it seems like the majority of online campaigning revolves around BRCA and hostel-level positions, with comparable numbers for BSW and SAC. But, we must also take into account that BRCA happens to be one of the most heavily discussed boards, so it’s only natural to find more meme pages around it. These figures need not reflect the ‘involvement’ of online campaigning in the respective bodies.

Nonetheless, these statistics do offer some value. Perhaps, it can be argued that if online campaigning is more prevalent in certain bodies than others, then those bodies ought to be more concerned (or at least aware) of it and its nuances.

What the Meme Makers think

In our effort to account for the views of all the stakeholders involved, we also reached out to the admins of these meme pages on Instagram. Here’s a summary of what they had to say about these matters. 

Admins of these pages insist that their primary goal is entertainment, not persuasion. While they claim their memes are created in good faith, they acknowledge that humor often comes at the expense of those being featured. Some even state that they are open to taking down posts upon request, yet such requests remain rare. This could suggest either a lack of awareness among those affected or a general desensitization to meme culture.

One of the strongest defenses used by these admins is that meme pages do not qualify as online campaigning. They argue that their content is neutral, treating all requests equally. But is neutrality truly possible? The sheer reach of online media ensures that even subtle mockery or exaggerated criticism can leave a lasting impression on voters. Unlike formal campaign materials, memes operate in an unregulated space where no clear guidelines exist to ensure fairness or accountability.

The issue of disciplinary action remains another gray area. While student governance bodies may officially prohibit online campaigning, enforcing these rules against anonymous meme pages is very difficult. Some point to freedom of speech as a justification, yet acknowledge that no structured framework exists to regulate such content. As digital media continues to evolve, the absence of oversight raises concerns about its growing influence on student elections, blurring the lines between harmless satire and real electoral consequences.

Candidate's Perspective

\While candidates began their journeys with a healthy dose of warnings about the psychological rollercoaster, most were unprepared for the sheer scale of the online onslaught. 

One interviewee recounted crying while scrolling through the pages during the election, feeling completely isolated. Another found the estrangement more subtly alienating: suddenly, their work in various clubs, their vision for the future, their personhood, and their private life did not matter. All that remained was their existence as a "candidate," a narrative everyone had opinions about, subject to distortions and blatant falsehoods. Some, particularly female candidates, reported a disturbing degree of slut-shaming content, often dragging those close to them into the chaos. Another impact of being a target is a constant sense of paranoia. Each decision and action is lined with a possibility of ending up as contextless meme fodder. The feeling that there are always a thousand eyes on your every move. While some may try to frame this “fielding” to their advantage, the inherently disturbing lack of privacy rings clear.

While those far away from the electoral shenanigans may scoff at 20-year-olds being affected by some “casual” memes, the hardiest of candidates have considered stepping down when the Instagram machine rolls to town.

Effects and Guardrails

When asked about the effects of this digital war on their relations with others on campus, responses were nuanced. It is trivial to realise that such memes create lasting impressions about a person’s character and work amongst strangers. As one candidate put it, one must “Be prepared to be loved by random people. And more prepared to be hated by random people. Just know it’s not your fault they hate you”. 

Candidates unanimously emphasise the importance of a strong community of friends and seniors in these challenging times. This closed group of friends is essential for the large-scale offline campaigning required to overturn online hearsay. They also provide a smaller, more trustworthy world for the candidate, wherein they realise that the only people who matter are those close to them, and with whom they can laugh off these troubles, targeted memes, and the opinions of aforementioned “random people”.

Seniors in particular serve another purpose: they reveal the forces at work beyond the immediate face value of being mean. It is broadly agreed that two distinct motivations drive the meme-mill:

The first is "fun"; a few candidates admitted to dabbling in creating memes themselves. These are seldom too hurtful.

The second, however, is malice: a clear intent to defame and mentally agonize a candidate. 

Understanding that these memes are not personal opinions, but strategic moves in a larger game, helps candidates somewhat overcome the blunt emotional impact. A high degree of mental delineation between themselves as a person and themselves as a candidate, they say, is imperative for survival.

Moving Forward

Interestingly, candidates seldom try to stop the online attacks or advocate for official action. Mostly, they try to ignore it and focus on maximizing their offline presence, emphasizing the need to develop a thick skin.

It isn't that official action hasn't proven itself effective. An interviewee shared how a single email from the administration against using meme pages drastically reduced the number of memes in circulation.  Another explained that these meme mills are run in collectives, and the risk of official consequences on being ratted out is often sufficient to limit activity.

But then why is there resistance to calling for official support? There are two main reasons. 

The first is the anonymity of digital media. While one might suspect the people running a specific Instagram account, proving guilt to the administration on such a basis is difficult. One interviewee shared how a friend tried to report specific particularly disturbing images, but couldn't get any official action for this very reason.

The second, greyer reason is a personal stake in the system. A few candidates acknowledged that, while unfortunate, it does play a role in shaping public opinion and drawing votes, and has helped them personally.

Situation in Other IITs

Online campaigning could be a boon or a bane; it's the Election Commission that decides what it is. In IIT Kanpur and Madras, though restricted to some levels, online campaigning is permitted. In Kanpur, it takes place on the official Ecell Insta account to maintain transparency, and only this verified content on the official page can be reposted by personal accounts. In Madras, all the candidates are allowed to campaign using their personal social media handles without any form of negative campaigning that defames other candidates. 

In IIT Madras, personal outreach is the way to go. Though sending WhatsApp DMs is prohibited, you’ll find the candidates' friends share flyers and messages on WhatsApp groups where people are added out of the blue. IIT Madras also houses a standout Mail Outreach system, where, in the entire campaigning season, candidates can send out 2 moderated emails to the voters on their official mail ID.

Even the luxury of this level of freedom boils down to the existence of a student EC body to ensure the code of conduct. The SECC @ IITM and EC @ IITK monitor all activities related to the elections, including campaigning and publicity. As student-run bodies, well aware of the stakeholders, they promise better awareness regarding prevalent online activities and their alignment with the rules. This leads to serious implementation of the code of conduct with publically announced penalties and fine lists - including cases of cancellation of candidature.

Due to the same above reasons, meme pages also do have different dynamics in contrast to whatever you call happening at IIT Delhi. At Kanpur, political memes are mostly published on standard institute meme pages whose admins are known and accountable keeping the content moderated. Anonymous accounts do show up at times, but aren't able to gather reach hence unable to leave any impact…well..in an ideal world. Someone created an account targeting certain candidates. During a live soap-box debate (a public political discussion that we can only dream of), the supporters of that candidate speculated the presence of the accused and called that account on Insta. Right there, the phone rang and the person ran away from the event, with the account deleted a few moments later. 

IIT Madras, however, took a unique twist by introducing Memes Showcase Competition to foster a sense of community involvement and participation in the voting event and be more aware and involved in politics.

A Different Approach?

All this analysis points to discourse on one single idea - the possiblility of fully embracing online campaigning. 

The idea is that online campaigning is much easier to access for the electorate and curious onlookers than offline interactions with the candidates. Presently, these meme pages are the exclusive source for readily available electoral news (read electoral gossip). Instagram, being a platform that rewards triggering/shocking content, combined with the cloak of anonymity, makes it a breeding ground for overtly negative narratives. 

And thus, some believe removing the restrictions on online campaigning would drown out these fake narratives with official posts. This would both provide electoral updates in a more accountable fashion, and allow candidates to engage more frequently and easily with the public.

Another major concern is that the tensions developed between candidates during elections can hamper the functioning of an organisation post-elections. While explicit resolution between candidates or their campaigners is extremely rare, people involved on either side often decide not to prolong the conflict and start afresh. However, grievances can and do linger.

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Journalistic Credits: Siddhant Agarwal, Samridhi Roy, Jayesh Narayanan , Abhinav Kumar, Sachal Dudani, Hemang Mathur, and Rishit Srivastava.

Design Credits: Abhi Aryan

Edited by: Rishit Srivastava and Sri Krishna Sai