India Tomorrow
NEW DELHI: Prominent YouTuber Dhruv Rathee has strongly criticized the Uttar Pradesh government’s new social media policy, which reportedly aims to engage influencers for promoting government policies and initiatives.
According to a report by The Free Press Journal, this policy could allow influencers to earn up to ₹8 lakh for endorsing government schemes on various social media platforms.
Hindustan Times also reported in detail about how the new social media policy of the Up government could make social media influencers to promote the UP government and chief minister Adityanath.
Rathee condemned the policy, accusing the government of using taxpayer money to effectively bribe influencers into promoting its agendas. He called on influencers to reject such payments and suggested that those who accept money for promoting the government should be publicly shamed.
Rathee voiced his concerns on social media, labeling the UP government’s offer as “legalized bribery” and emphasized that the funds being used are sourced from public taxes.
The policy reportedly categorizes influencers based on their number of followers and subscribers across platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Payments vary depending on the platform, with the highest rates reserved for YouTube influencers, who can earn between ₹4 lakh and ₹8 lakh per month. For other platforms like X, Facebook, and Instagram, the monthly payment caps are set at ₹5 lakh, ₹4 lakh, ₹3 lakh, and ₹2 lakh, respectively.
Additionally, the policy includes provisions allowing the government to take action against influencers who post content deemed anti-social, anti-national, or derogatory.
Rathee, who is known for his vocal criticism of the Modi administration and the BJP, commands a substantial online following, with over 24 million subscribers on YouTube, 2.8 million followers on X, and over 12 million followers on Instagram. The UP government’s social media policy has sparked significant backlash from both internet users and opposition parties.
