MISSION CONTROLL

Union minister Maneka Gandhi’s step to set up a dedicated cell to combat online trolling of women has received a mixed response on social media platforms

In a first such attempt by the government to directly address the menace of trolling, Union minister for women and child development, Maneka Gandhi set up a cell to receive complaints and monitor trolling against women on social media. While comments welcoming the move poured in from all quarters, in an ironic turn, Maneka herself became a subject of trolling over the move and received backlash from various quarters with some expressing that such comments or trolls were part of social media, and even going so far as asking Maneka to ‘ leave the kitchen, if she can’t stand the heat’. While the backlash only strengthened the need for such efforts to combat vicious trolls, many others raised reservations about portraying trolling as a women’s issue alone or the implications it will have on freedom of expression. However, in light of events in recent past including the numerous publicly issued

rape and death threats to singer Sona Mohapatra or the suicide of a Chennai teen following an incident where morphed naked images of her were posted online, the move has established the government’s intent to tackle the menace. The question that remains, however, is about its effectiveness. We spoke to a range of people from celebrities who’ve been victims of trolling to folks who are active on social media on how fruitful the move will prove to be and what implications it

will have on social media.