Mumbai: While most recent cases of discrimination have been highlighted through social media, its immense power can also be used for mischief.
In the concluding instalment of our four-part series on discrimination in housing, we find out how social media websites have empowered citizens by giving a voice to anyone with internet access; we also examine its potential for misuse and other pitfalls.
Housing discrimination is not new in Mumbai – or anywhere in the world, for that matter. Why, then, does it seem l ike a recent phenomenon, from a scan of any newspaper or news website? The answer lies in two words: social media.
Websites such as Facebook and Twitter are often used as virtual public squares, giving anyone with access to the Internet the power to highlight and discuss issues that otherwise might be – or indeed have been – largely ignored.
Indians Against Housing Discrimination, an invite-only Facebook group that was formed on May 21, already has 1,196 members.
It provides a forum for people affected by housing discrimination to discuss the issue and to highlight new cases of people being denied flats for reasons such as religion, caste, sect, linguistic background, marital status and diet.
The most recent case that came to light thanks to the power of social media is that of 25-yearold Misbah Qadri, whose post on Facebook in May about being evicted from a flat in Wadala, allegedly because of her religion, went viral in hours.
Qadri’s case highlights not only the power of social media and its immediate impact, but also some of its pitfalls.
A day after her allegations were printed in newspapers and aired on television, the broker responsible for having her evicted claimed Qadri’s allegations of religious discrimination were false. He said she had been told to leave the flat as she hadn’t submitted certain documents, adding that the building was home to at least three other Muslim tenants.
HT verified this claim, and found that none of the Muslims living there had faced discrimination or harassment.
Despite its potential for misuse – among other flaws – the advent of social media has undoubtedly given new hope to issues long denied a platform; issues that, owing to societal prejudice and other factors – could only be discussed quietly, in closed circles, said a sociologist and resident of Powai, who asked not to be named.
The expert added that the full power of social media platforms could be harnessed fully only if more people on them participated in meaningful discussion.
"There are a lot of people who only browse social media websites for entertainment, watching arguments escalate without commenting. If you are already on it, why not raise your voice and participate?" she added.
Hitesh Ranjawani, business head at Socialsamosa. com, a websites that features trending social media content, said, "Social media is a great tool – the like of which we’ve never had before – to highlight issues such as women’s safety and housing discrimination. Inasmuch as it reflects public opinion and highlights cases that would otherwise be unheard, it can also serve as a powerful tool to help government and policymakers come up with ideas to improve people’s lives."
Anand Pendharkar, a social media enthusiast, said, "Undoubtedly, social media can be a very powerful weapon when people use it for good causes such as discrimination in housing. But to be honest, I think the least well informed and the least-qualified people make the most noise on social media."
Talking about the pitfalls of the platform, he added, "The irony of raising issues like housing discrimination is that social media websites are themselves rife with prejudice and abuse. Anytime a serious issue is discussed on such platforms, there is a lot of name calling and abuse, which can defeat the purpose of the discussion. People’s biases are, in fact, more visible here. Hatred breeds on social media. So, a lot depends on how informed you are and which issues you choose to highlight or support."
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