EC Banks On Power Of Social Media: 'GenZ Content', Special Campaigns To Engage With Voters | Details

As the 17th Lok Sabha polls preparations are in full swing across the nation with less than two weeks left for the biggest festival of democracy to begin, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has incorporated innovative social media campaigns like ‘Turning 18’ and ‘You are the One’ in its poll campaigning repertoire to engage with more citizens.

Currently the ECI has a very prominent presence in major social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube with recent additions of Public App, WhatsApp Channel, and LinkedIn.

Here we have the brief accounts of the unique social media campaigns designed to engage more people in the process of electoral awareness.

‘Turning 18’ Campaign

Taking into cognisance the matters of urban apathy and youth apathy as a cause for concern, the ECI campaign ‘Turning 18’ is particularly designed to target the GenZ, the first-time voters, and other young citizens of the country. The primary objective of the initiative is to motivate youngsters to participate in the upcoming elections.

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The  campaign encompasses various compelling themes and strategies to in a bid to capture the attention of its audience. The key strategy includes branding of individual series with thematic logos for easy identification and association.

Furthermore, the campaign also portrays a comparison of past and recent elections, as ‘then vs. now’ to highlight the progress made over time. Infographics, highlighting the growing participation of the women electorate, especially in the age bracket of 18-30 also represents the inclusivity of India's democratic process.

The impact of the campaign has been substantial so far with widespread circulation facilitated by State Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) and the national public broadcaster, DD News and Akashvani.

‘You are the One’ Campaign

Taking one more step ahead after the 'Turning 18' campaign, the ECI has launched another impactful one titled ‘You Are The One.’ This initiative aims to recognize and celebrate the invaluable contributions of various stakeholders involved in the electoral process.

This campaign includes the cntribution of everyone associated the integrity and efficiency of the electoral process. From voters and political parties to Booth Level Officers (BLOs), ground staff, polling parties, administrative personnel, media professionals, central forces, and security personnel, each stakeholder is included in this campaign.

Unique Election Stories, Crosswords, Election Dictionary

Banking on the reaching power of the social media platforms, the Eection Commission is also showcasing several engaging features of the campaign like ‘Chunaavi Kisse’. This shares interesting election stories from previous elections. Then A-Z of Indian Elections series informs users about elections related terms and processes. 

Wordplay with ECI is another series where users are engaged to hunt for election related terms.

The  ‘Sawal Jawab’ series answers the most relevant questions related to the electoral process. 

‘Verify Before You Amplify’ initiative

In a bid to contain dissemination of fake news and misinformation online, the ECI introduced the ‘Verify Before You Amplify’ initiative as highlighted by CEC Shri Rajiv Kumar during the Press Conference for announcement of Schedule of General Elections.

This proactive measure aims to empower citizens to verify the accuracy and authenticity of content before amplifying it.