New Delhi: Delhi Police is learnt to be probing the role of several YouTubers and social media influencers for allegedly spreading misinformation during the July 20 Sansad Chalo march, which later turned violent.Cops suspect the involvement of more than 200 social media influencers and YouTubers. According to police, every time officers tried engaging with the organisers, several influencers disrupted the interactions. Several influencers are also suspected of circulating edited videos on social media to shape public perception during the protest, said police.“Our probe found that many of these videos omitted the full context of conversations and selectively showed only portions that created a negative narrative,” a police source said.Police said the probe revealed that a large number of fake social media accounts were created and activated during the protests to “systematically circulate controversial videos, statements and reels” across multiple platforms. These accounts worked in a coordinated manner to amplify specific narratives and maximise the reach of selected content.The investigation also found that bot accounts were deployed to artificially boost engagement by increasing views, likes, shares and comments, according to police sources. The role of several digital marketing and social media management companies is also under the scanner. Cops said they are examining company records, server logs and digital activity to determine whether specific content was deliberately amplified through a coordinated toolkit or public relations strategy.Police also suspect that many protesters were linked to WhatsApp groups where participants were instructed to wear masks to conceal their identities and informed that legal assistance would be provided if police took action against them. As per cops, the crowd may have also swelled as many people headed to Jantar Mantar after watching the World Cup final held on July 20.Meanwhile, police are trying to trace about 200 individuals in connection with the violence. The probe has relied on CCTV footage, mobile phone location data and videos circulating on social media to identify those allegedly involved.After compiling the details of the suspects, police have alerted police stations in their respective places of residence and sought information on their criminal backgrounds and other records. Police are also taking the assistance of personnel injured during the violence to identify the alleged attackers. Their statements are helping establish the sequence of events and reconstruct the timeline, which is expected to aid the probe.
