KPCC media cell convenor Anil K. Antony appeared to have fallen afoul with an arguably influential pro-United Democratic Front (UDF) social media group called Congress Cyber Team (CCT).
The CCT claims to be a pro-Congress online propaganda powerhouse. It portrays itself as the cyber storm troopers of the Congress and the party’s most vigorous online election campaigner in 2021.
The group insists that it has garnered more than one crore ‘likes’ for its political messaging and has a following that runs into lakhs of netizens.
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The CCT focuses on the use of videos and memes to promote Congress among voters.
Post elections, the CCT turned its ire against Mr. Anil, son of Congress veteran A.K. Antony. It accused Mr. Anil of belatedly setting up a digital war room and losing the battle for social media’s soul to political detractors.
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Recently, Mr. Anil had stated that the CCT had commenced an internet campaign to vilify him.
Scores of Facebook collectives supported the Congress. The CCT was one among the many. The CCT could not usurp the status of the KPCC’s official page.
Mr. Anil said the KPCC in 2019 had evolved a code of cyber conduct and ethics. Sashi Tharoor, MP, had formulated the rules.
The CCT denied that it had moved Mr. Anil for official recognition. It said Mr. Anil was at a loss to formulate or guide the KPCC’s social media campaign.