Influence Of Social Media On Indian Army
Remember when being social meant sharing your favourite beverage with a friend at the local hangout or neighbours leaning over their backyard fence talking about everything from politics to the local football team? These days are in the past. Communication has grown globally over the years; today’s technology opens a completely new way of sharing ideas, thoughts and information. Since the late 1990s, social media has become a ubiquitous phenomenon that seems to be increasingly adopted by Indians across all spectra, religion, age group, gender and profession. Its applications are many and hence its multiple platforms- Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, Instagram and so on are designed for specific purposes. Social media has revolutionized communication like no other platform because of its visual appeal, interactive interface, addictive and engaging capability and ease of access. It has demonstrated a capacity for penetration that is historically unprecedented, for ex: Facebook took just 12 years to gain 1. 65 billion users globally out of which India alone contributes to 241 million users. Today the digital arena is intrusive and all pervasive. Industries, administration, people, ministers, governments and even the PM are using social media to interact directly with the people. The vast reach and impact of social media is clearly evident from recent world occurrences. During the recent Turkey coup when events were rapidly unfolding and there was a haze around what was actually happening, Turkish President used the video on his cell phone to communicate with the nation, urging people to come out and oppose those involved in the coup attempt. The message was further conveyed on social media channels which was thus instrumental in helping defeat the coup attempt. Social media also came to the fore in the Ukraine conflict when Russian involvement came to light on account of the selfies posted by Russian soldiers.
On the other end of the spectrum, organizations such as Islamic State, AL Qaeda, The Taliban and Hamas also exploit social media to their advantage. ISIS routinely posts videos of its grisly be-headings and executions and uses it for propaganda and recruitment. ISIS has developed apps known as “Dawn of Glad Tidings” and “Amn-Al-Mujahid”. All attacks in the Bangladesh terror attacks were indoctrinated via social media and used the app “Am-al-Mujahid” to coordinate the attack. It is therefore only natural for social media to pervade the armed forces in equal measure. Armies around the world over are seized of this reality and are accordingly gearing up to take advantages that accrue on account of social media and at the same time they are getting ready to deal with the myriad challenges that the proliferation of social media will bring in its wake.
Social media when used properly is serving an important function in strengthening the morale and well being of soldiers and their families. In fact access to online communication is a top priority for many soldiers serving in distant regions. It allows them to maintain close relationships with home. Family unity and connection constitute the foundation that helps service personnel going during deployment and social media features like video chat allows families to interact and temporarily relieve some of the stresses triggered by separation from family. The value of integrating social media into armed forces has personal benefits to military personnel which in the broader context elevates the morale of the organization. Apart from connecting families, social media is playing an important role in bringing the ex-servicemen together and bridge the gap between the veterans and the organization. Recent initiative of bringing ex-servicemen together in whatsapp group is helping in dissemination of information, benefits and news from the Higher Command to the individuals. In today’s world of lightning fast connectivity, news whether genuine or fake, travel across the globe in no time. It gives an opportunity for the propagation of rumors and false propaganda. Having recognized this fact one of the most effective strategies by the office of Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) was to launch Indian Army’s Facebook page which has garnered 21 lakh followers within 18 months. This has enabled Army to post authentic information, curb rumors and provide a medium to reach out to the common man. Thus social media is acting as a vital tool to disseminate genuine activities and initiatives undertaken by the Army to a wide section of the population.
The extensive penetration of social media within the armed forces is proving to be a two edged sword. This can be backed by the rising cases of honey trapping of service personnel. Virtual women are used on social media to lure men, seduce them with the intention of leaking sensitive information related to military, compromising national security. Besides being targeted by enemy nations in cases of espionage, many of the soldiers themselves are ignorant about the usages of social media. There have been instances of serving personnel posting photos in uniform, disclosing their location and sensitive information on social media sites thereby putting national security at risk. Ignorance on the use of social media also comes to light when some of the soldiers take to social media to venting their grievances against the organization. They complain about bad behavior by senior officers, harsh conditions and poor facilities. Such flurry of videos by soldiers put the officers’ cadre in very poor light. Social media has unprecedented reach and can be cleverly manipulated to tweak the truth. While soldiers can be deterred by threats of disciplinary proceedings, the same cannot be said of their families and friends thus bringing bad name to armed forces. Social media is a powerful tool which sways not only public opinion but also the sentiments of our own officers and men. There have been several instances of unverified, half true and distorted reports quickly spreading across units and formations thanks to the proliferation of Twitter and Whatsapp. For ex: during the infamous beheading incident in Poonch in Jan 2013, Twitter messages generated a frenzy of extreme opinions. After the Uri attack of 2014, messages began circulating that soldiers on sentry duty did not open fire on the terrorists due to caution imposed on them after Anantnag incident. Our forces appear clueless in the face of an almost daily ambush by warriors of social media.
In the face of such disadvantages posed by social media there are certain challenges that need to be overcome. One of the most challenging aspects of social media is ascertaining the authenticity of the messages posted in various sites. As inflammatory messages go viral, they influence emotions, create varying opinions and can generate an atmosphere of destruction. Thus the leaders need to understand the necessity of educating the personnel on proper usage and potential pitfalls of social media. The do’s and don’ts list is an exhaustive compilation and regular checks would ensure that no classified information or pictures pertaining to individuals in uniform, equipment or area of operation are posted on these forums. Given the increasing use of social media, it is imperative that all ranks be sensitized to its use and in following the Army’s code of conduct and values and the onus falls on the leaders at all levels. The present system of issuing advisory needs to be expanded by educating all the personnel on social media through courses of instruction.
The military by law and its own code of conduct remains aloof to protect its ethos focus on role and tasks and remains unprejudiced. However the isolation of the military has also created deep information void among the public. The military leadership needs to realize that most social media platforms, being global in nature, would not conform to restriction for a selected few and hence protecting the military ethos would need adoption to the new normal. Media campaign thus must be intelligently changed and not always be built on the macho image of soldiers projecting vitality and violence. In the new communication age, with people sort on time and with a reduced attention span, media campaign would need to project the Army as a responsible nation building organization which is participative, progressive, growth oriented and innovative. Social media is not all negative and the leadership has to adapt itself to the challenge of rightfully using social media. The Army must seize the opportunity and persuade officers to exhibit their intellectual talent by joining discussions, seminars and interactive forums.
In a 1. 3 million strong force, it is highly impossible to keep everyone happy. There will always be someone with grievances, both perceived and real. It is a challenge to ensure the grievances are solved internally and the matter is not displayed in public light thereby avoiding maligning of armed force’s image. Thus leaders have to learn to handle the soldiers with more compassion. Well established grievance redressal mechanism should be strengthened and made more credible.
Social media is a relatively new and exciting platform in a nation like India. Mere sensitization of troops on its proper usage is not enough. Clear principles for social media should be incorporated into basic military training similar to fire-safety and first aid guidelines. Training needs to be regularly updated using recent case studies. This awareness creating should not be limited to soldier alone. Online activities of soldiers who come under the scanner of military laws and disciplinary action might get restricted. But the families of the personnel are civilians and are not bound by any such impositions. Thus there is an equal need to sensitize the families as well on social media activities.
Another major challenge posed by fast penetrating social media is of cyber espionage. Recent media revelations of the Pakistani Army snooping on Indian Army personnel’s phones and computers, reportedly through a malware called Smeshapp is one of the many threats faced by Indian military in guarding sensitive and classified information such as deployment and move of troops and details of counter terrorism operation like ‘Pathankot airbase attack. Worse, some personnel were allegedly honey trapped through fake Facebook profiles to divulge confidential information. Banning sites like Facebook, Twitter is not an answer as the Indian Army found when it banned Orkut and MySpace a decade ago, as these are observed more in the breach. No such ban was imposed on civilian officials working in sensitive security postings, even though those establishments are also exposed. There is a need of raising awareness within all ranks, especially to emphasize the importance of cyber hygiene i. e. healthy security practices for online communication. Other countries have taken steps in this direction. For instance, the US Army has issued a social media handbook detailing steps to be taken and standard operating procedure to be followed for its personnel and their families.
As the use of social media increases exponentially, Army authorities have to devise means to exploit these platforms for gain in numerous fields. The Singapore Army uses Facebook to pass orders on a daily basis and issues instructions. Though this is not feasible in India’s case, the social media platform can form the backbone for the 21st century digital Army. Its applications range from its use in intelligence collection, training, reaching out to veterans and most importantly enabling commanders to connect with their command through an unconventional channel. It can be effectively used to control narratives, fight malicious intentions by posting the truth and equally significantly keep all service personnel abreast of the latest developments in contentious fields so that they are aware of the truth.
The biggest asset of social media platform is the instant messages passing ability. Within seconds, a million followers can have access to the details posted. There is a requirement of having a dedicated organization for monitoring social media at Army HQ, with cells down till the Div HQ level, comprising trained experts who continuously scan the social media sites to collate information and trends in their area and who would be able to anticipate likely scenarios to be one step ahead. These cells must counter negative perceptions, interact with the public to gauge reactions and glean information as the common man is the worst affected. Use of academician, think- tanks and volunteers must be made to form public opinion or plan themes. The Army’s digital efforts must be proactive to form an overwhelming positive national and international opinion on national security issues concerning our adversaries.
The inner reach of the medium makes it a potent tool in the hands of adversaries or insurgents in shaping people’s thoughts process and influencing their opinions. Hence, it is essential that the social media narrative is managed and guided by own core principles of honesty and integrity. It is not feasible to suppress or distort facts once posted online so the true picture and correct information must be given by own channels at the earliest. The Twitter handle of HQ, Northern Command and Facebook page of ADGPI give authentic information of any incident on occurrence and the speculation is laid to rest. The next step must be to make the forums interactive to reply to individual queries where necessary and allow any apprehension. However this alone will not ensure credibility till the actual functioning is supported by an ‘open’ mindset and on-the-ground protocol. Communication control has to be divested. Officers should be empowered to communicate more openly on operational issues. It is understandable that certain types of information, for obvious reasons, may not be publishable. But the most important of all factors, the brass at the headquarters should have an open and interactive mindset to engage with stake holders – the News Media and the Public at large on such a ‘‘free and unbridled’ platform or else, it may end up being perceived as another half hearted attempt to unsuccessfully adopt to new concepts.
The strength of Indian Army is in its organic structure which is being run on the backbone of the harmonious relation between the officers and the men. Any dilution of the people’s expectations of the Army, looking for exceptional professionalism, exemplary conduct and commitment, inspiring patriotism would invite adverse comments on social media. Intelligently used, it could become an invaluable tool to consolidate cohesion, build trust and faith, and contain desensitization. To derive maximum benefit for the purpose, the online websites of the Army will have to be all encompassing, interactive, and linked to other popular sites. Such sites must offer health-related advice pertaining to depression, stress, substance abuse, irritation, suicide and distress. Besides, they should be able to provide online advice and assistance for making informed choices in all matters, including legal services. There would be an inescapable need to reinvigorate and link the Kendriya Sainik Bidyalayas (KSBs), professionalize care under the Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) and Adjutant General’s (AGs) Branch, provide for job sites, encourage entrepreneurship, and provide insurance and loans oriented guidance.
The interactive forums at all levels would help connect the soldiers and their families and provide accurate information on a 24-hour basis. Today, officers are required to know all the procedures and details of every case being dealt with by them and it is not always feasible to have access to the requisite information. Many times, mistakes are committed due to limited knowledge and ignorance of rules. Forums at Army and subordinate HQ, till the corps level, can answer genuine queries related to procedures, and provide guidance related to official or legal cases, and so on. The applications of the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (PCDA), Pay Offices at Regimental Centres, can answer queries in real time regarding any issue related to pay and allowances. The welfare of veterans can be improved immensely through interactive forums at the Defence Pensions, Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), Department of Ex-Servicemen’s Welfare (DESW), Ministry of Defence (MoD)/Directorate General Resettlement (DGR), etc. Regular interface can take place through the Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) to reach the families and resolve their queries. However, dedicated teams are mandatory at each of these portals to provide the requisite details with clarity and patience.
Today the availability of information on these platforms is vast and requires professional analysis. Assistance from civil firms would be a force multiplier. A simple search shows sufficient data on our adversaries. Numerous photos of officers in uniform and with equipment are available for specialists to gather information. Using big data analysis, a more comprehensive intelligence collation can take place. For ex: the website of the Federation of American Scientists lists details of all Pakistani air base with facilities, including the names of squadron and the number and types of aircrafts.
Another significant application can be the connection between senior officers and the men they command. For ex: the Whatsapp number of the Western Army Commander is available on the website. It provides an indirect communication channel to his troops. The same can be adopted by Commanders at all levels.
A very resourceful application would be developing the Army specific applications for use by soldiers. The applications can be used to educate the soldiers by having training pamphlets and other instruction material to provide readymade reference. Applications like iSurvive and Army First Aid in US Army today provide information on basic and advanced first aid, besides giving information on navigation, communication, and personal protection techniques. Applications using military coordinates based on the Indian Remote National Satellite Service (IRNSS) can assist during peace-time and operations. An application on the entitlements of soldiers will of immense assistance to the personnel, and one on the lines of Army OneSource Service Locator can provide administrative details at a specific station or information on schooling facilities and other important local information. These applications can be encrypted with specific codes for security.
As the use of social media platforms increases it becomes vital that guidelines and directions are followed on appropriate net behavior. It is likely that many unwarranted posts, comments or improper messages may be initiated by soldiers. It must be remembered that these forums are not a grievance airing mechanism. The platforms must be used to enrich the users in the fields of education, health care, entitlements, and resolving genuine problems being faced by the soldiers. It must also be remembered that the armed forces cannot be isolated from usage of these platforms in today’s digital world. With its unprecedented reach as well as constructive and destructive powers, it is imperative that the armed forces learn to harness this potent tool for achieving organizational goals.
