Electoral politics everywhere is being decisively affected by the social media platforms. Governments and political parties are adjusting to the immense power wielded through, not necessarily by, the companies. The platform companies are also belatedly, and largely involuntarily, catching up to the reality of their responsibility. In India next year another very important test of democracy’s power to resist the bad effects of misinformation distributed through targeted political communication will occur; current assembly elections may be a trial run. Early indications are very worrisome…
