Tools of Social Media for Fighting against Corruption

Background

In social sphere, corruption discourages

people to work together for the common good.

Frustration and general apathy among the

public result in a weak civil society.

In the modern era, the Social Media tools are

developed as very powerful among the

younger generation for eradicating the

corruption in the society.

The Social media tools has become an

important to affect change and transform

politics around the world and has emerged as

a powerful development tools.

More young people now able to access, create and distribute

information and ideas through social media which are now

spreading faster, pushing the boundaries of freedom of expression

and opening up new possibilities for change and reform.

This online Platform allows virtually everyone to become a

"publisher" and freely report even the corruption cases.

A grounded analysis of social media are not only capable of

blocking access to certain Internet outlets, but also becoming

increasingly adept at manipulating them to their advantage.

Research of this study helps to build the knowledge base on the

availability of social media tools that are used to engage citizens to

fight against corruption.

The study will support Transparency in national efforts to generate

realistic innovative ideas to embrace emerging opportunities for a

social media strategy.

Purpose of study

Hypothesis

Identifying how individuals, civil society

organisations, business men and

governments around the nation use the tools

of the social media technologies in their

strategic planning and day-to-day operations

to fight against corruption. Analysing how the social media tools like

Crowd-sourcing, Social Networking, Online

Communities, Blogging, Mobile Technology,

Internet Censorship Circumvention are

fighting against corruption in our nation and

whether it is functioning effectively to remove

the corruption in the society.

The respondents for the data analysis randomly identified

and interviewed, either via Skype or in person, at among

the leading practitioners and scholars working in the nexus

between civil society and social media.

Totally 75 persons were interviewed and their opinion were

also been recorded. This study is focused to examine

motivations in the context of anti-corruption activism.

From the database, the following categories were found

relevant to the over searching theme of anti-corruption.

Access to Information Checks on Government

Electoral Monitoring Civic Engagement

Disaster Response Human Rights Violations

Methodology

What is corruption?

oCorruption means any abuse of a position of trust in order to gain an

undue advantage. This involves the conduct of both sides that of the

person who abuses his position of trust as well as that of the person

who seeks to gain an undue advantage by this abuse.

oCorrupt practices can range from small favours in anticipation of a

future advantage to the payment of large sums of money to senior

members of governments.

oCorruption can be broadly distinguished as incidental corruption (petty

graft, small-scale embezzlement, favouritism) and systemic corruption

(large-scale embezzlement, misappropriation) at the other.

oNow a days fight against the corruption has been making headlines in

the various tools of Social Media in India. The call for passing the Jan

Lokpal (anti-corruption) bill has transformed the political consciousness

of tens of thousands of Indians who reluctantly accept corruption as

part of their culture.

Types of social media

toolsSocial Media

ToolDescription

Crowd sourcing

The act of outsourcing the gathering of information to the public

via Internet and/or mobile technology in order to produce

collaborative content, to which anyone can contribute.

Social

Networking

Social networking are online communities where people can

interact with friends, family, co-workers, acquaintances, and others

with similar interests.

Online

Communities

A type of social network maintained via practice of

membership rituals by participants with shared interests, often taking

the form of chat-rooms or forums.

Blogging

The maintenance of an online space by individuals with regular entries

of commentary, or other material such as graphics or video - allowing

for the exchange of ideas between blogger and visitors.

Technology

Communication enabled via mobile phones through voice call, short

message service (SMS), multimedia messaging service (MMS) and,

increasingly, access to the Internet.

Internet

Censorship

Circumvention

The use of various web technologies to bypass barriers imposed to

block free access to online content.

Social Media Against Corruption

Using social media tools like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter

has become an effective way to expand reach, foster

engagement and increase access to credible, anti-corruption

and legal-based messages. Social media & other emerging

communication technologies can connect millions of voices to:

Facilitate information sharing for the eradication of

corruption in the civil society.

Personalize and reinforce protection of life and fight against

corruption that can be more easily tailored or targeted to

particular audiences of the civil society.

Empower people to make safer and healthier decisions in

anti-corruption as per law, providing in the constitutional

rights.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Due to the development of technology of online

networks, the Chief Vigilance Commission of Government of

India has separately hoisted a social network to watchdog

everything about the corruption and protect the society

without corruption.

The tools of social media are often used in conjunction

with another to produce the most valuable output.

There are several NGOs and civil society activists use

these tools for anti-corruption initiatives.

The causes supported the innovative analyze of the

study valuable insights into how anti-corruption activism is

taking place through the strategic use of social media.

Access to Information

In many developing countries, there are real

structural and political barriers to produce information,

and the ability of citizens to claim their right to

information and to use it to demand better

governance and public services without corruption.

Regarding to access to Information in the strategic

planning and day-to-day operations to fight against

corruption many answers during interview, the online

community, Mobile technology and Social Networking

have been used maximum above 60 percentage and

Crowd sourcing and Blogging are used minimum

percentage. \

Social Media tools in access to Information

to fight against Corruption (N = 75)

Sl. No. Impact dimensions

Change indicators

Yes No

Nos. Percentage Nos. Percentage

1.Crowd sourcing

45 60 30 40

2.Social Networking

65 86.7 10 13.3

3.Online

Communities 70 93.3 05 06.4

4. Blogging 35 46.7 40 53.3

5.Mobile

Technology63 84 12 16

6.

Internet

Censorship

Circumvention

55 73.3 20 26.7

Checks on

Government The various tools of social media maintain a database of public

information on over parliamentary members , legislative members and

officials has proven valuable to journalists reporting on corruption issues.

Regarding to check on Government in their strategic planning and

day-to-day operations to fight against corruption, most of the answer is yes

and for that the effective tools like social networking, online community

and Mobile technology and its change indicators are above fifty and other

tools are used for fighting corruption are below fifty percentage.

The combines the concept of crowd sourcing with blogging and social

networking are effectively checks on government like politicians and

officials who are possessed any illegal properties without giving account to

the government.

Wiki page that assembles several blogs and tweets reporting on the

activities of a chosen politician, foster political transparency and

accountability by monitoring the activities and performance of elected

officials.

Social Media tools checks on Government

for Anti-Corruption (N = 75)

Sl. No.Impact

dimensions

Change indicators

Yes No

Nos. Percentage Nos. Percentage

1. Crowd sourcing 40 53.3 35 46.7

2.Social

Networking70 93.3 05 06.7

3.Online

Communities69 92 06 08

4. Blogging 45 60 30 40

5.Mobile

Technology56 74.7 19 25.3

6.

Internet

Censorship

Circumvention

43 57.3 32 42.7

Electoral

MonitoringMany electoral monitoring initiatives track events

during elections, supporting efforts to expose

incidents of vote buying or fraud. Such initiatives

demonstrate the value of social media, both in

enabling immediate information dissemination via

SMS and mobile technology, and by mapping crowd

sourced data.

The challenges facing electoral monitoring projects

are relevant to collect the real-time data during

elections, information validity, limited rural access,

and long-term impact on accountability.

Social Media tools monitoring election

without Corruption (N = 75)

Sl.

No.

Impact

dimensions

Change indicators

Yes No

Nos. Percentage Nos. Percentage

1. Crowd sourcing 69 92 06 08

2.Social

Networking65 86.7 10 13.3

3.Online

Communities70 93.3 05 06.7

4. Blogging 40 53.3 35 46.7

5.Mobile

Technology50 66.7 25 33.4

6.Internet

Censorship

Circumvention

55 73.3 20 26.7

Civic Engagement

Social networking regarding civic engagement challenges

corruption by encouraging active citizenship, exposing

government inefficiencies and demanding transparency in

service delivery.

Crowd sourcing, mobile technology and online

communities utilizes initiatives such databases of evidence to

bring malfeasance to light based on real time public reports.

Regarding the question of civic engagement many of the

respondent have answered above fifty percentage for the

social media tools of crowd sourcing, social networking, and

online communities, but other tools of the social medias are

getting response below fifty percentage.

Social Media tools used for civic

engagement for fighting corruption (N = 75)

Sl. No. Impact dimensions

Change indicators

Yes No

Nos. Percentage Nos. Percentage

1. Crowd sourcing 55 73.3 20 26.7

2.Social

Networking66 88 09 12

3.Online

Communities65 86.7 10 13.3

4. Blogging 49 65.3 26 34.7

5.Mobile

Technology40 53.3 35 46.4

6.

Internet

Censorship

Circumvention35 46.7 40 53.3

Disaster Response

Thinking back to the recent natural catastrophes, including

the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, the 2008 Sichuan

earthquake and even Katrina none seemed to galvanize

support so quickly at this one. Many disaster prone zones also

suffer from endemic corruption, thus making humanitarian aid

particularly vulnerable during emergencies.

Regarding the disaster response questions many of the

respondent have answered above fifty percentages for the

social media tools of social networking, online communities,

and mobile technology, but other tools of the Social Media like

crowd sourcing, blogging, and internet Censorship

Circumvention are getting response below fifty percentage.

Social Media tools fighting corruption in the

issue of

Disaster Response (N = 75)Sl. No. Impact dimensions

Change indicators

Yes No

Nos. Percentage Nos. Percentage

1. Crowd sourcing 40 53.3 35 46.4

2.Social

Networking 65 86.7 10 13.3

3.Online

Communities 70 93.3 05 06.7

4. Blogging 43 57.3 32 42.7

5.Mobile

Technology 55 73.3 20 26.7

6.

Internet

Censorship

Circumvention32 42.7 43 67.3

Human Rights Violations

The anti corruption activists can be directly

threatened by human rights violations. As a result

social media is increasingly used to bring attention

to under reported cases.

Regarding the social media tools used for

protection of human rights many of the respondents

have answered above fifty five percentages for the

social media tools of crowd sourcing, social

networking and online communities, but other tools

of the Social Media like crowd sourcing, blogging,

mobile technology, and internet Censorship

Circumvention are getting response below fifty five

percentage.

Sl. No.Impact

dimensions

Change indicators

Yes No

Nos. Percentage Nos. Percentage

1. Crowd sourcing 50 66.7 25 33.4

2.Social

Networking 55 73.3 20 26.7

3.Online

Communities 63 84 12 16

4. Blogging 44 58.7 31 41.3

5.Mobile

Technology 50 66.7 25 33.4

6.

Internet

Censorship

Circumvention

35 46.7 40 53.3

Social Media tools used for fighting

corruption

in human rights violation (N = 75)

Conclusion

Transparency in the use of providing database among the potential

members of the network of civil society can be a challenge for the

corruption.

iPad, Bribe D 10, Vigeye D 22 encourages Indian citizens to submit

SMS or online reports about instances where they have been

forced to pay a bribe.

Online and Offline interactions among social network users will

have an impact on real time activities to defy widespread tolerance

of bribery as a normal way of dealing with corrupt government

officials.

Providing volunteers with a cost -free and user- friendly interface

can contribute to broader online anti-corruption initiatives and

campaigns.

International and Nation wide attitudinal change, with protests and

candle light support rallies are conducted against the corruption

practices of the Nation and world.