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| | This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content.<br/> | | This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content.<br/> |
| | + | Additional information may please be sent as messages to the Facebook <br/>community, [http://www.facebook.com/Indpaedia Indpaedia.com]. All information used will be gratefully <br/>acknowledged in your name. |
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| − | [[Category:India |F ]]
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| − | [[Category:Fauna |F ]]
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| − | [[Category:China |F ]]
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| − | [[Category:Sri Lanka |F ]]
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| − | =Burrowing frogs =
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| − | ==Four new species in the Western Ghats/ 2017==
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| − | [http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/06/20/discovery-of-four-new-frog-species-confirms-western-ghats-region_a_22490982/ Sonam Joshi
The Discovery Of Four New Frog Species Confirms Western Ghats Region As A Global Biodiversity Hotspot, June 20, 2017: The Huffington Post]
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| − | [[File: One of the 4 species of burrowing frogs.jpg|One of the 4 species of burrowing frogs, Courtesy: S D Biju, [http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/06/20/discovery-of-four-new-frog-species-confirms-western-ghats-region_a_22490982/ Sonam Joshi
The Discovery Of Four New Frog Species Confirms Western Ghats Region As A Global Biodiversity Hotspot, June 20, 2017: The Huffington Post]|frame|500px]]
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| − | [[File: one of the species of burrowing frogs1.jpg|One of the species of burrowing frogs, Courtesy: S D Biju, [http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/06/20/discovery-of-four-new-frog-species-confirms-western-ghats-region_a_22490982/ Sonam Joshi
The Discovery Of Four New Frog Species Confirms Western Ghats Region As A Global Biodiversity Hotspot, June 20, 2017: The Huffington Post]|frame|500px]]
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| − | [[File: One of the 4 species of burrowing frogs6.jpg|One of the 4 species of burrowing frogs, Courtesy: S D Biju, [http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/06/20/discovery-of-four-new-frog-species-confirms-western-ghats-region_a_22490982/ Sonam Joshi
The Discovery Of Four New Frog Species Confirms Western Ghats Region As A Global Biodiversity Hotspot, June 20, 2017: The Huffington Post]|frame|500px]]
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| − | Delhi University researchers discover four new burrowing frogs in the Western Ghats.
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| − | A PhD student from Delhi University has discovered four new species of burrowing frogs in the Western Ghats, further cementing the region's place as a global biodiversity hotspot with an unprecedented rate of new frog discoveries in the last decade.
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| − | The findings are the result of five years of extensive research by Delhi University student Sonali Garg, and her supervisor Professor SD Biju, who is also known as the 'Frog Man Of India'. The species belong to the Indian frog genus Fejerarya, but are unique because of their ability to burrow using their hind legs.
| + | = Government requests= |
| | + | ==2012-17: Content removal== |
| | + | [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Rise-in-Indias-requests-to-Twitter-to-drop-22092017023029 Kim Arora, Rise in India's requests to Twitter to drop content, September 22, 2017: The Times of India] |
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| − | Discovered in Kerala and Maharashtra, the frogs were confirmed as new species by using an integrated taxonomic approach that included DNA studies, detailed morphological comparisons and bio-acoustics. They include the Maohrahan's Burrowing Frog discovered in the Agasthyamala Hills in south Kerala, the Kadar Burrowing Frog, discovered in the Vazhachal forest in Kerala, the CEPF Burrowing Frog found in Amboli in Maharashtra, and the Neil's Cox Burrowing Frog found in the Parambikulam tiger reserve in Kerala.
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| − | "Burrowing frogs are very rare, cryptic and difficult to find. Only 7-8 out of the 230 frog species in the Western Ghats are burrowing frogs," Biju told HuffPost India. "While most frogs in the Western Ghats can be easily spotted during the monsoon, these frogs can be seen for only two to three weeks in June and July. Otherwise, they stay hidden underground or under wooden logs." This also makes these frogs the most susceptible to weather patterns. Since they only breed for a very short period of time, any changes in weather patterns can affect their numbers.
| + | India has shown a steady increase in the number of account information and content removal requests sent to Twitter from the government since 2012, with the maximum number of requests made between January and June 2017. |
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| − | "Our study highlights a fairly common group of frogs that is usually found closer to human habitations but is still not documented properly. More extensive studies are required to scientifically identify and describe the Western Ghats frogs which are already facing extinction threats from various human activities," Garg, who conducted this study as part of her PhD research at Delhi University, said.
| + | India made 104 requests for content removal and another 261 requests for account information. It was the sixth largest number of requests for account information after the US, Japan, the UK, Turkey and France. Twitter released these numbers in its half-yearly transparency report. |
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| − | In February, Garg and Biju had announced the discovery of four news species of the world's smallest frogs in the Western Ghats. The frogs were so tiny that they could even sit on a finger nail.
| + | Twitter fulfilled 21% of the 261 account information requ ests India made. These requests covered 659 accounts. This number was up from 168 requests made in July-December 2016, where 427 accounts were specified. Although the number of requests has been lower in previous years, the number of accounts has been significantly higher before. |
| − | There has been an exponential increase in the number of new amphibian species discovered in the Western Ghats in the last decade. Out of the 1581 new species of amphibians discovered between 2006 and 2015, the second-highest number were from the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot, numbering approximately 159. Out of these, 103 were from the Western Ghats alone.
| + | |
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| − | In fact, the number of amphibian species discovered in the Western Ghats habitat has nearly doubled within a short span of ten years. Biju attributes the region's biodiversity to factors such as the Western Ghats being isolated from the mainland, as well as the wide array of habitats found within it.
| + | “These fluctuations and rise in numbers is tough to ascribe to any one factor. It could be because of more people using the service, or because of the government starting to recognise Twitter and social media as places where a law and order problem can occur, or it could be censorship,“ says Parminder Jeet Singh, executive director for Bengaluru-based NGO IT for Change. |
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| − | "If you look at the pattern of discoveries, you can see that only about 30-40% of the flora and fauna, especially lower forms of species, in the Western Ghats has been discovered or documented," Biju said. "I believe that we will have to wait for at least another 10 years to fully understand the diversity of life forms in this region.”
| + | ==2015-18: requests for user data== |
| | + | [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F12%2F15&entity=Ar02513&sk=376B772F&mode=text Digbijay Mishra, Govt requests for info from Twitter surge, December 15, 2018: ''The Times of India''] |
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| − | However, about one-third of the frogs in the Western Ghats are already threatened by extinction. "Many of these frogs are extremely rare and found only in specific areas," Biju said. "Any small change in the habitat is more than enough to decrease their population.”
| + | [[File: Requests made by the Government of India to Twitter for user data, 2015-18.jpg|Requests made by the Government of India to Twitter for user data, 2015-18 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F12%2F15&entity=Ar02513&sk=376B772F&mode=text Digbijay Mishra, Govt requests for info from Twitter surge, December 15, 2018: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]] |
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| − | =Frankixalus (tree hole-breeding frogs)=
| + | The Indian government wants to know more about what you do on Twitter and its curiosity is only growing. The Centre’s requests from Twitter for user data has risen by over 100% in the last two years, as per the latest transparency report released by the social media major. Between January and June 2018, India sought information on 355 accounts, up from 261 and 139 in the first six months of 2017 and 2016 respectively. Twitter’s transparency data shows that the numbers every six months have been rising. |
| − | ==Biju finds rhacophorid genus in the NE/ 2016==
| + | |
| − | [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=New-frog-genus-discovered-in-NE-forests-21012016005053 ''The Times of India''], Jan 21 2016
| + | |
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| − | Manash Gohain
| + | However, Twitter provided information in the case of only 11% of the requests made by the government in the first six months of 2018. It got 246 requests for removal of accounts in this period and obliged to only about 5% of them. Twitter’s rate of acceptance of government requests has fallen sharply, from 31% in the first half of 2016, to 11% in the latest period. Indian authorities (government, police, court orders) sought to remove 144 accounts in the second half of 2017, and 104 in the first half of that year. |
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| − | '''New frog genus discovered in NE forests'''
| + | The data showed Twitter withheld (prevented access to) two accounts and 23 tweets in response to a legal demand from the IT ministry for propagating objectionable content. Following legal requests, a total of 19 accounts and 498 tweets were withheld. |
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| − | Professor Sathyabhama Das Biju of DU, popularly known as the `frogman of India', and his team of researchers have discovered a new genus of tree holebreeding frogs in the forests of India's northeast and China. These frogs are special because the tadpoles feed on their mother's eggs.
| + | The past few years have seen increasingly harsh, often incendiary, posts on social media. More Indians have also flocked to Twitter to air their views. The rising requests from the government is partly a reflection of its attempt to control the more inflammatory posts. When demands are made legally, based on the laws of the land, social media companies are obliged to respect the demand. In other cases, they need to take into account whether accepting the government request would amount to violating the freedom of expression of the user. |
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| − | The team comprised PhD students of Biju and researchers from National Centre for Cell Science (Pune), University of Peradeniya (Sri Lanka), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium) and American Museum of Natural History (USA).
| + | In India, between 2012 and 2014, the government sent less than 100 requests for information. But in the first six months of 2015 alone, over 100 requests were made. |
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| − | [[File: A tree hole-breeding frog of the genus Frankixalus discovered by Prof Biju.jpg|A tree hole-breeding frog of the genus Frankixalus discovered by Professor Biju; Graphic courtesy: [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=New-frog-genus-discovered-in-NE-forests-21012016005053 ''The Times of India''], Jan 21 2016|frame|500px]]
| + | India is said to have about 30 million Twitter users, as per estimates by market research firm Statista. |
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| | + | Globally too, government requests have been rising. Twitter said that in the first half of the year, it received 10% more government information requests worldwide, compared to the preceding six-month period — the largest percentage increase since 2015. There was also an 80% rise in global legal demands for removal of accounts in the first six months, compared to the preceding sixmonth period. Close to 90% of these requests came from Russia and Turkey. |
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| − | The findings have been published in a paper titled Frankixalus, a new rhacophorid genus of tree hole-bre eding frog with oophagous tadpoles' in the current is sue of international journa PLoS One. The genus has be en named Frankixalus after Professor Franky Bossuyt of Vrije Universiteit Brusse for his contribution to amp hibian research.
| + | ==2021: Twitter blocks 97% handles on govt list== |
| | + | [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2021%2F02%2F12&entity=Ar00305&sk=B9E2C5BD&mode=text Pankaj Doval, February 12, 2021: ''The Times of India''] |
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| − | “In 1870, British natura list T C Jerdon collected two specimens of a tree frog from forests of Darjeeling and preserved them at Natural History Museum, London. The frog was not found in the wild for over 150 years and was scientifically deemed lost. It remained a mysterious creature--a victim of mistaken identity ever since,“ Biju said.
| + | [[File: In Feb 2021- Twitter blocked 97% handles on the govt list.jpg|In Feb 2021: Twitter blocked 97% handles on the govt list <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2021%2F02%2F12&entity=Ar00305&sk=B9E2C5BD&mode=text Pankaj Doval, February 12, 2021: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]] |
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| − | The overlooked specimens in London were pulled out of the museum cabinets and studied, and the team conducted extensive field work for three years in the forests of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Naga land, Tripura, Sikkim and Darjeeling (West Bengal).The samples were analysed in the genetics lab of DU.
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| − | “Our discovery indicates that documentation of Indian amphibians is still incomplete. Unfortunately , many of them face various extinction threats, especially due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Several populations of the new genus were found in highly disturbed habitats, which is a reason for concern. Taking any conservation effort for amphibians will indirectly conserve several other life forms of that area,“ said Biju.
| + | There were signs of a thaw in Twitter’s tussle with the government after the social media giant took down over 97% of the handles that the IT ministry had sought to be censured for carrying “inflammatory content” related to ‘farmers’ genocide’ hashtag and accounts backed by Khalistan sympathisers and Pakistan. |
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| − | Biju and his team had in 2014 discovered seven new species of golden-backed frogs from the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka global biodiversity hotspot.
| + | Of the 1,435 handles flagged by the government through two separate requests, 1,398 have been taken down, top sources said. |
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| − | =Indirana paramakri, Indirana bhadrai (leaping frogs)=
| + | The breakthrough in the deadlock came after IT secretary Ajay Prakash Sawhney’s meeting with Twitter executives Monique Meche and Jim Baker late Wednesday evening, following which the American social media giant started to act against the users. |
| − | ==Two new species discovered by Biju/ 2016==
| + | |
| − | [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Two-new-species-croak-at-W-Ghat-17112016006033 Manash Gohain, Two new species croak at W Ghat, Nov 17 2016 : The Times of India]
| + | |
| − | [[File: Leaping frogs.jpg| Leaping frogs: Indirana paramakri (Rocky terrain), Indirana bhadrai (Bhadra)|frame|500px]]
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| | + | “The compliance has come in for almost the entire list of accounts that we had asked to be taken down. For the remaining, Twitter has said that it is following the due process, which includes sending notice to the users and other such steps,” a government source told TOI. |
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| − | Two new species of frogs have been discovered by Professor Sathyabhama Das Biju, popularly called India's Frogman. This takes his count to 80 since his first discovery in 2003.The DU scientist's latest find took place in the Western Ghats in Karnataka and Kerala. The species from Kerala has been given the common name of Rocky terrain leaping frog (scientific name: Indirana paramakri), while the one in Karnataka is called Bhadra leaping frog (Indirana bhadrai).
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| − | This June, Biju's team chanced upon a strange mating process of the Bombay night frogs, while in 2014 he and his team had discovered seven species in the Western Ghats. In 2012, a team led by him had revealed to the world a new family of legless amphibians known as caecilians. Other successes of the Frogman have come in the forests of Nagaland.
| + | ''' ‘A positive step by Twitter’ ''' |
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| − | The two frogs species belong to the Ranixalidae family, one of the three ancient frog families that diversified on the Indian landmass long before the extant frogs appeared in this region. “Nearly half of the currently recognised species in this family have been described only in the last three years,“ said Biju, adding that a new genus had been recognised to accommodate three previously known species.
| + | All the 1,178 handles that the government had flagged for possible links with Khalistani and Pakistani elements have been blocked. |
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| − | Biju added, “Our surveys in the Western Ghats suggest the further presence of undescribed diversity in this group, thereby increasing all estimates of the family's diversity estimates.“
| + | Of the 257 handles that were sought to be blocked over the controversial hashtag, 220 have been taken down. “Some of the accounts could be duplicates,” the source said. However, some accounts such as that of CPM leader Mohammed Salim (@salimdotcomrade) and Caravan magazine (@thecaravanindia) remain functional. “We view this as a positive step that Twitter has taken. It does follow from the meaningful and healthy conversations that we had with the global executives of the company,” the government source said. |
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| − | Biju and doctorate scholar Sonali Garg of the Department of Environmental Studies, DU, conducted extensive sampling of Indirana frogs from across the Western Ghats, and performed DNA barcoding for 200 ranixalid samples.
| + | A spokesperson for Twitter in India did not respond to a questionnaire from TOI. |
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| − | =Megophrys (horned frogs)=
| + | While the social media platform had earlier refused to comply with the government’s requests, on Wednesday, the IT secretary expressed displeasure over “differential treatment”. |
| − | == 4 new species found in NE/ 2018==
| + | |
| − | [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F11%2F20&entity=Ar01012&sk=2E3C2ECE&mode=text Manash Gohain, 4 new frog species found in NE after 14-year study, November 20, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
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| − | [[File: 4 new Megophrys (horned frog) species were found in the NE in 2018, after a 14-year study.jpg| 4 new Megophrys (horned frog) species were found in the NE in 2018, after a 14-year study <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F11%2F20&entity=Ar01012&sk=2E3C2ECE&mode=text Manash Gohain, 4 new frog species found in NE after 14-year study, November 20, 2018: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
| + | “They must be obeyed immediately. If they are executed days later, it becomes meaningless,” IT Sawhney said. He also made it clear that the use of the controversial hashtag was neither journalistic freedom nor freedom of expression as such “irresponsible content could provoke and inflame” the situation. |
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| | + | Sources said that during the meeting, Baker, Twitter’s VP for legal matters, assured government representatives that the company would be mindful of the concerns. “Baker said that the global management of Twitter can be approached directly in case of violations that are sensitive in nature. This is seen as a massive reassurance to tackle hate, inflammatory and irresponsible messaging,” the source said. |
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| − | Four new species of ‘horned frogs’ have been discovered in the forests of northeastern states, which has forced scientists to revise some of their previous estimates.
| + | [[Category:Culture & Learning|T TWITTER AND INDIA |
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| | + | [[Category:Economy-Industry-Resources|T TWITTER AND INDIA |
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| | + | [[Category:India|T TWITTER AND INDIA |
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| | + | [[Category:Pages with broken file links|TWITTER AND INDIA |
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| − | This has been the result of a14-year study that was a joint effort by Delhi University, University College Dublin, Ireland, and Natural History Museum (UK). The study found that Jerdon’s white-lipped horned frog is not as wide ranging as previously thought. It’s restricted to a few recently discovered populations in Nagaland and Manipur, and near Sohra (Cherrapunjee) in Meghalaya where it was first discovered in 1870 by British naturalist Thomas Caverhill Jerdon.
| + | =The misuse of Twitter= |
| | + | ==2014== |
| | + | [[File: twitter1.jpg|2014: The misuse of Twitter in India and the world, and action taken |frame|500px]] |
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| − | The discovery resulted from professor Stephen Mahony’s PhD work carried out at University College Dublin and DU (supervised by professor Emma Telling and professor S D Biju). Biologists were investigating a group of six closely related species of horned frogs (named due to a fleshy, hornlike protrusion on the upper eyelids). Historical literature and a large number of museum specimens were examined by the lead author, including seven years of extensive fieldwork in some of the wettest and difficult terrains in the world by the Indian team.
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| − | The four new species have been named as Himalayan horned frog (megophrys Himalayana), Garo white-lipped horned frog (megophrys oreocrypta), yellow spotted whitelipped horned frog (megophrys flavipunctata), and giant Himalayan horned frog (megophrys periosa). The study was published on November 19 as a monograph in the scientific journal Zootaxa. The implication of this study is that all remaining frog populations throughout Asia could represent unique new species that are yet to be named.
| + | '''See graphic :''' |
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| − | Mahony, the lead author of the study, said, “The discovery of relatively large new species of frogs is not very common these days, and this study highlights how an animal that scientists thought they knew well for the past 150 years can surprise us when we take a closer look at them. We have found that all species in this study have a smaller geographic range than previously thought. As Asia’s remaining forests are rapidly shrinking due to human activities, and the streams where these frogs reproduce become polluted, the urgency of knowing where these unique species live is vital if there is any chance to protect them from extinction.”
| + | ''2014:The misuse of Twitter in India and the world, and action taken'' |
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| − | Of the four, the smallest grow to a size of 5.7-7.5cm (yellow spotted white-lipped) and the largest grow to 7.1-11.2cm (giant Himalayan).
| + | =The usage of Twitter= |
| | + | ==2016: The emoji tweeted most often== |
| | + | [[File: The emoji tweeted most often, India and the world, 2016.jpg| India and the world, the emoji tweeted most often, 2016 <br/> [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=ITS-NAMASTE-INDIA-06112016019018 ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]] |
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| − | “Northeast India is rich in amphibian diversity but despite being part of two globally recognised biodiversity hotspots (Himalayas and Indo-Burma), this region is neglected as compared to the Western Ghats hotspot. Our discovery highlights the need to carry out systematic research in northeast India to fully understand and conserve its unique frog fauna,” Biju said.
| + | '''See graphic :''' |
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| − | =Microhylid genus=
| + | ''The emoji tweeted most often, India and the world, 2016'' |
| − | ==Micryletta aishani==
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| − | [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F06%2F12&entity=Ar00715&sk=7514B118&mode=text Manash Gohain, June 12, 2019: ''The Times of India''] | + | ==2019: politicians, their parties and their gender== |
| | + | [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F03%2F21&entity=Ar00807&sk=6F9E4782&mode=text Mohammad Ibrar, Get a handle on this: Women calling poll shots on Twitter, March 21, 2019: ''The Times of India''] |
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| − | [[File: The Micryletta aishani.jpg|The Micryletta aishani <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F06%2F12&entity=Ar00715&sk=7514B118&mode=text Manash Gohain, June 12, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]] | + | [[File: Handles of women with maximum number of followers, 2019..jpg|Handles of women with maximum number of followers, 2019. <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F03%2F21&entity=Ar00807&sk=6F9E4782&mode=text Mohammad Ibrar, Get a handle on this: Women calling poll shots on Twitter, March 21, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]] |
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| − | A new frog species has been discovered in the Northeast by a team of scientists from Delhi University and Wildlife Institute of India in collaboration with researchers from Indonesia and the US. This one belongs to the Microhylid genus and has been named Micryletta aishani.
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| − | The first known species of the genus was found in Sumatra, Indonesia. At present, the genus has only four recognised species that are commonly known as paddy frogs. But the Northeast one was confirmed as a new species after detailed comparison of both DNA and morphology with all previously known species across Southeast and East Asia.
| + | It is politically prudent perhaps to give women their place in politics. After all, as research with Twitter data shows, handles of women on the platform have more followers on average than men and these handles also generate more content than men do. And even if the handles of women produce less original content, their retweets and engagement are high on Twitter, making them an asset for political parties especially in the coming general elections. |
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| − | What has surprised scientists is that the new species isn’t found far from human habitat.
| + | Admittedly, of the 1,252 verified political handles analysed, only 133 belonged to female political activists, the rest being those of male politicians or party handles. Analysed and studied at Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Delhi and International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad, by a team of eight students as part of the focus on the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, these were culled after going through “over 21 million posts by roughly a million handles collected from the 2014 general elections”. |
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| − | “Our discovery shows that even fairly common frogs usually found closer to human habitations are still not documented properly. More extensive studies are required to scientifically identify and describe the Northeastern frogs which are already facing extinction threats from various human activities,” said Abhijit Das of Wildlife Institute of India.
| + | Ponnurangam Kumaraguru, associate professor at both IIITs, said he and his team of researchers covered data of over 2,585 Twitter handles which showed some sort of affiliation to an Indian political party. “This list was manually curated and we have been collecting data for these handles from late 2018 through the Twitter Application Programming Interface (API).” |
| − | The past decade has witnessed an exponential increase in the number of new amphibian species discovered in India, particularly the Western Ghats.
| + | |
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| − | “The actual number of frog species in Northeast India is much higher than the current estimates. What remains is for us to carry out dedicated surveys in unexplored regions and undertake comprehensive studies using integrative taxonomy, just like the Western Ghats where the number of known amphibian species has nearly doubled within a short span of 10 years, making it one of the leading biodiversity hotspots in the world with an unprecedented rate of new frog discoveries,” said professor S D Biju from DU.
| + | On March 12, Trinamool Congress announced a list of candidates for West Bengal that had over 40% women. Similarly, Biju Janata Dal has said 33% of its candidates in Odisha will be women. A push of this nature is reflective of the increasing female participation on social media. On Twitter, for instance, the study showed that on average, women’s handles had 36,85,000 followers, with the minimum at 422 and the maximum of 12.2 million for external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj. |
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| − | The new species is named aishani after the Sanskrit word aishani that means ‘northeast’. It differs from other paddy frogs due to its reddish-brown back, dark streaks and ash grey mottling on the lateral sides, shape of the snout and absence of webbed feet.
| + | On average, the feminine handles generated 9,834 tweets each. Compare that with the 7,432 by their male counterparts. This is despite handles belong to men numbering 865, or 69.1%, of the 1,252 verified political handles. A majority of the female tweeters showed their origin to be in Maharashtra, Delhi and UP, the hotbed of political activism. |
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| − | The DNA analyses in the new study also indicate the presence of more unknown species in this genus in Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.
| + | Social media will be a distinct factor in this election, felt Kumaraguru, and women politicians appeared to have a lot of clout on social media. “Gender diversity is a universal topic, and we find interesting patterns like female handles re-tweeting more,” said Kumaraguru. “Tweets by females on average get retweeted more than those by men — 550 times compared with 530 times for tweets by males.” |
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| − | The new species was discovered based on specimens collected from a degraded forest area in Cachar district of Assam. “It is likely to be more widely distributed in Northeast India, particularly the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot region that lies south of Brahmaputra. It could very well be present in Bangladesh and Myanmar,” said Sonali Garg of DU.
| + | ==2021: What Indian women tweeted about== |
| | + | [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2021%2F03%2F07&entity=Ar01511&sk=DC66DD1E&mode=text Shobita Dhar, Passions & pursuits: What Indian women tweet about, March 7, 2021: ''The Times of India''] |
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| − | ===Mysticellus genus===
| + | What do Indian women talk about on twitter? “Passions and pursuits” is the most discussed topic of conversation, with 25% of all women users coming on to Twitter to seek and consume this content. Out of this 25%, the majority (30%) seek content on fashion, 28% on books, 25% on beauty, 21% on movies and TV and 14% on sports. Over 40% of women said they discovered a new interest on Twitter. |
| − | [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-47208169 13 February 2019: ''BBC'']
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| − | Indian researchers have discovered a new species of frog - in a roadside puddle.
| + | ‘Current affairs’ is the second most searched and consumed content, with 21% of all women users using Twitter to know what’s going on around them. Women from Delhi and Guwahati led this segment. About 21% use Twitter to stay informed on local and international news. Tweets about #StudentExams, #COVID19 related updates and #DelhiElections2020 dominated the conversation in this category. |
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| − | Sonali Garg, a PhD student at Delhi University, and her supervisor SD Biju found the new species in the Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot in southern India.
| + | These are findings from a research commissioned by Twitter India ahead of International Women’s Day. For the report, a qualitative curation and analysis of 5,22,992 tweets sent from Twitter accounts of women between January 2019 and February 2021 in 10 Indian cities was done. |
| | + | The majority of women, 33%, use Twitter while commuting; 29% catch up on the latest tweets during breakfast and 22% don’t go to bed without looking it up. Although Twitter doesn’t have data on how many women users it has in India, their research found that almost 9% use it to create and participate in social movements like #MeToo and #TimesUp. |
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| − | The species belongs to a new Indian frog group or genus which the scientists have named Mysticellus.
| + | While Twitter can often be a toxic place for women with many journalists, celebrities and politicians often receiving abuse and even rape threats on it, this doesn’t deter women from using the platform. About 40% said it provides them with freedom of expression. |
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| − | The name is derived from Latin and means mysterious and diminutive.
| + | About 12% used the platform to connect and network with others in their communities, like #WomenInScience and #GirlGamers. Women from Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad were especially found to be active in this category. Nearly 7% women used Twitter to share and talk about everyday hardships like #Parenting, #WorkingFromHome. |
| − | The scientists discovered the narrow-mouthed frog after three years of extensive explorations, and have confirmed that it represents an entirely new species and genus of microhylid frogs.
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| − | The new genus is currently known only in a single locality.
| + | “We commissioned this research to build our understanding about women on Twitter. Access to a free and open internet has made it possible for everyone to express themselves freely without barriers,” said Manish Maheshwari, managing director, Twitter India. While 41% of women have sought advice/tips/recommendations on the service, 37% have given advice/tips/recommendations. |
| − | "Our discovery of this new frog genus from one of the most explored and researched regions in the Western Ghats indicates that documentation of amphibians in this globally recognised biodiversity hotspot is still far from being complete," says Sonali Garg.
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| − | "This frog went unnoticed until now probably because it appears for less than four days for breeding activities and lives a secretive lifestyle for the rest of the year.”
| + | [[Category:Culture & Learning|T TWITTER AND INDIA |
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| − | A number of new frog species have been discovered in the Western Ghats in the past decade, making it one of the leading biodiversity hotspots in the world.
| + | =The most followed Indians= |
| | + | ==As in 2020== |
| | + | [[File: The Indians most followed on Twitter, presumably as in 2020 Feb.jpg| The Indians most followed on Twitter, presumably as in 2020 Feb <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2020%2F03%2F03&entity=Ar00508&sk=BD401EF4&mode=text March 3, 2020: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]] |
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| − | "At the same time, Indian amphibians face various extinction threats, especially due to habitat loss and degradation. The only known population of the new genus is found in a wayside area disturbed with vehicular movement, plantation activities and human settlements," says Ms Garg.
| + | '''See graphic''': |
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| − | "Since little is known about the habitat requirements and the distribution range of the new frog, the specific site needs to be preserved to protect this frog.”
| + | '' The Indians most followed on Twitter, presumably as in 2020 Feb '' |
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| − | A new tadpole that burrows through sand was discovered in Western Ghats in 2016, and an extraordinary tree frog thought to have died out more than a century ago was also rediscovered in the same year.
| + | [[Category:Culture & Learning|T |
| − | In 2017, four new species of burrowing frogs were discovered in the region.
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| − | =Nyctibatrachus (night frogs)=
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| − | [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=4-miniature-frogs-that-can-sit-on-coin-23022017006014 Manash Gohain, 4 miniature frogs that can sit on coin or thumbnail, Feb 23 2017: The Times of India]
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| − | India now has the world's smallest known frogs.Seven such species were discovered by Professor S D Biju, known as the `Frogman of India' for his work on the amphibians, and his team from Delhi University in the Western Ghats. Of the newly discovered species, four are true miniatures with body lengths of 10-15 mm and can comfortably sit on a coin or a thumbnail.
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| − | These species belong to the genus Nyctibatrachus, commonly known as night frogs.Evolutionary biologist David Wake of the University of California, Berkeley, expressed surprise because the known nyctibatrachids are relatively larger.
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| − | Dr Ariadne Angulo, head of Amphibian Special Group at the International Union for Conservation of Nature, said the immediate priority for these newly described species, after being formally recognised as such, would be to assess their global extinction risk.
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| − | Unlike other frogs in the genus that are predominantly stream dwelling, the new miniature frogs were found among damp forest leaf litter or marsh vegetation. “The miniature species are locally abundant and fairly common but they have probably been overlooked all these years because of their extremely small size, secretive habitats and insect-like calls,“ said Sonali Garg, who undertook this study as part of her PhD research at DU.
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| − | This discovery of new species of ancient origin can provide useful insights into the evolution of endemic frog lineages in the Western Ghats, which is a global amphibian hotspot.
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| − | The past decade has witnessed a big increase in the number of new amphibian species found in this region. Of the 1,581 total new amphibians species reported across the world between 2006 and 2015, around 182 were from the Brazilian Atlantic forest, followed 159 in the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot, with 103 species from the Western Ghats region alone.
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| − | Many of these new species are facing threats from human activity. Dr Angulo said that because several of the species have been identified as being range-restricted and impacted by threats, it was important to conduct their extinction assessments. “Once the extinction risk is assessed, both research and conservation actions can be tailored accordingly ,“ she said.
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| − | ==Night frogs, Bombay-==
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| − | [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Discovered-Konkan-frog-species-touchless-sex-15062016008023 The Times of India], Jun 15 2016
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| − | [[File: Bombay night frogs.jpg|Picture courtesy: [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Discovered-Konkan-frog-species-touchless-sex-15062016008023 The Times of India], Jun 15 2016 |frame|500px]]
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| − | Manash Gohain
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| − | ''' Discovered: Konkan frog species' touchless sex '''
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| − | The female does much of the courting, the male is furiously possessive of her, but when it comes to intercourse, they make Victorian prudes seem rather forward.Meet the Bombay night frog, an oddity in the anuran world that reproduces without the mates touching each other.
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| − | The complex world of frogs and toads comprising about 7,000 species has its own little Kama Sutra with six mating positions called amplexus modes (from the Latin word for `embrace') because the male clasps the female about the back during intercourse. But researchers led by Delhi University professor S D Bihu have found that the Bombay night frog adopts a seventh distinct position.
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| − | Called dorsal (back) straddle, it has the male spreading itself over the female's back with its feet clutching or resting over leaves and twigs on the sides. Bihu said the male appears to release sperm over the female's back and then moves away . After that, the female lays her eggs, which are fertilised by the sperm trickling down her back. In other frog species, females usually lay eggs during amplexus and males simultaneously release sperms to fertilise them.
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| − | “This is a frog with a re markable reproductive behaviour, and this discovery is fundamental to understanding the evolutionary ecology and behaviour in anuran amphibians,“ said Biju.
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| − | | + | |
| − | Bombay night frogs are found mainly near fast-flowing streams in the Western Ghats. They are classified as an ancient group of frogs that diversified 7080 million years ago. In the breeding season, they can be seen calling from the ground and over hanging vegetation in large numbers, soon after sunset.
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| − | The species also shows other rare sexual traits. For instance, the female, as also the male, croaks the mating call during breeding season, a behaviour seen in only 25 species worldwide. Fights between competing males are also common, and last until the intruder is thrown out.
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| − | The research team also observed eggs of Bombay night frog being eaten by snakes. It's the first documented observation of snakes eating frog eggs in India.
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| − | The research team comprising scientists from University of Delhi, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru, and University of Minnesota, USA, observed the frogs in the field for 40 nights during monsoon months between 2010 and 2012. Their findings were published in the journal `PeerJ'
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| − | | + | |
| − | ==The unique mating position of Bombay night frogs==
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| − | [https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/jun/14/froggy-style-unique-mating-position-of-bombay-night-frogs-finally-revealed Ian Sample, Science editor, The Guardian| Froggy style: unique mating position of Bombay night frogs finally revealed, 14 June 2016]
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| − | The frogs are secretive, breed only at night, and always at the peak of monsoon season, but researchers have finally identified their remarkable mating habits
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| − | They mostly come at night. Moments after sunset, and calling as they move, the Bombay night frogs climb high into the trees that overhang rivers swollen by the warm monsoon rains in the forests of Western Ghats in India.
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| − | | + | |
| − | And then the action begins. On rain-soaked leaves, branches and tree trunks, the amphibians pair up. The female sends a willing signal by backing towards her male and touching his head with her toes. What follows is a mating position never seen before in the wild world of frog sex.
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| − | [[File: unique mating position of Bombay night frogs.jpg|The unique mating position of Bombay night frogs: a graphical abstract <br/> [https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/jun/14/froggy-style-unique-mating-position-of-bombay-night-frogs-finally-revealed Ian Sample, Science editor, The Guardian/ PeerJ]|frame|500px]]
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| − | | + | |
| − | The Bombay Night frogs in Dorsal straddle: a new amplexus mode in frogs. Until Bombay night frogs fell under the spotlight, scientists had identified six mating positions among the world’s 6,650 frog species.
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| − | “It’s remarkable,” said Sathyabhama Das Biju, an expert on amphibians at the University of Delhi, who has published a comprehensive report on the frogs’ sexual antics. “So far, this mating position is known only in Bombay night frogs.”
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | It was 2002 when Biju first witnessed Bombay night frogs mating. But the animals are secretive, they breed only at night, and always at the peak of monsoon season. He got the odd glimpse, but not much else. It took eight more years for Biju to launch a study dedicated to unravelling the beasts’ mysterious breeding habits.
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| − | | + | |
| − | Now, after 40 nights in the forest, Biju has amassed enough field notes, photographs and infrared night-vision video footage from 13 encounters to describe the breeding habits of the frogs, Nyctibatrachus humayuni, in detail.
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| − | | + | |
| − | Until Bombay night frogs fell under the spotlight, scientists had identified six mating positions among the world’s 6,650 frog species. The male might clasp the female around the waist, grab her armpits, hold her head, attach himself to her back with a gluey substance, sit back-to-back, or perhaps sit on her head. But the Bombay frogs do none of these.
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| − | | + | |
| − | Before now, scientists had identified six mating positions among the world’s 6,650 frog species.
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| − | | + | |
| − | Writing in the journal PeerJ, Biju and his colleagues describe how they filmed males clambering on to females. What happened next was unexpected. Instead of clasping his partner, the male took hold of nearby branches or leaves to steady himself. He then appeared to release his semen on to the female’s’ back. Soon afterwards, the female shrugged the male off, and laid her eggs, which, the researchers hypothesise, are “fertilised by semen running down her back and hind legs.”
| + | |
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| − | The researchers discover their remarkable findings.
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| − | Asked why the frog might have adopted the unusual approach to mating, Biju said: “We have no idea.” But the new position does have a name: the dorsal straddle. “It differs from the other six positions because the male does not grasp the female under her armpits or head, but instead places his hands on the leaf, branch or tree trunk the pair is sitting on,” he noted.
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| − | The 5cm-long Bombay night frog is endemic to the Western Ghats, a mountain range and world heritage site that runs parallel to the west coast of India, spanning a thousand miles from Gujarat to Kerala. While males of all frog species call for mates, Biju’s field recordings reveal that female Bombay night frogs issue their own calls, making them one of only 25 frog species known to do so. He also recorded fights among males, with interlopers forcefully barged out of the way, and predation of the frogs’ fertilised eggs, with 80% of a female’s clutch being eaten by nearby snakes.
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| − | | + | |
| − | ==Western Ghats, February/ 2017: 7 new night frog species found==
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| − | [http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/tiny-frog-species-found-in-western-ghats/article17342306.ece T. Nandakumar, Tiny frog species found in Western Ghats, February 21, 2017: The Hindu]
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| − | [[File: A taxonomic approach with DNA studies and morphological comparisons was used to confirm them. .jpg|A taxonomic approach with DNA studies and morphological comparisons was used to confirm them. ; [http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/tiny-frog-species-found-in-western-ghats/article17342306.ece T. Nandakumar, Tiny frog species found in Western Ghats, February 21, 2017: The Hindu]|frame|500px]]
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| − | Five of the seven new ‘Night Frogs’ have small ranges and their habitat is under threat, say scientists
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| − | Scientists exploring the forests of the Western Ghats have come across four new species of tiny frogs no bigger than a human thumbnail, which make a distinctive chirping sound comparable to the one of a cricket.
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| − | These species are among the seven new ‘Night Frogs’ discovered by a team of researchers from the University of Delhi and the Kerala Forest Department, who spent five years surveying the global biodiversity hotspot.
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| − | | + | |
| − | ‘Night Frogs’ belong to the Nyctibatrachus genus endemic to the Western Ghats and represent an ancient group of frogs that diversified on the Indian landmass approximately 70 to 80 million years ago.
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| − | The scientists were surprised by the relative abundance of the previously unknown species at their collection localities.
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| − | “The minuscule frogs have probably been overlooked because of their extremely small size, secretive habitats and cricket like calls,” says Sonali Garg, who undertook the study as part of her Ph.D research at the University of Delhi.
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| − | The scientists used an integrated taxonomic approach that included DNA studies, detailed morphological comparisons and bioacoustics to confirm the new species. The findings have been published in the latest issue of PeerJ, an open access journal.
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| − | '''Hydroelectric project'''
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| − | While turning the spotlight on the amphibian diversity of the Western Ghats, the discovery also highlights the threat posed by human activities to the species.
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| − | The Athirappilly Night Frog was found close to the Athirappilly waterfalls, the proposed site of a hydroelectric project, while the Sabarimala Night Frog was discovered near the hill shrine which receives lakhs of pilgrims every year. The Radcliffe’s Night frog and the Kadalar Night Frog were reported from plantation areas.
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| − | “Over 32% of the frog species in the Western Ghats are already threatened with extinction. Out of the seven new species, five face considerable anthropogenic threats and require immediate conservation,” says Professor S.D Biju, who led the study and has formally described over 80 new species of amphibians from India.
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| − | '''Restricted range'''
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| − | “Because several of the new species have been identified as being range restricted and impacted by threats, it is important to assess their extinction risks and tailor conservation strategies for both species and habitats,” said Ariadne Angulo, co-Chair, Amphibian Specialist Group, IUCN, in an emailed response.
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| − | The discovery has taken the total number of known Nyctibatrachus species to 35, of which 20% are diminutive in size (less than 18 mm).
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| − | As many as 103 new amphibian species have been described from the Western Ghats region between 2006 and 2015.
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| − | ==Western Ghats, December/ 2017: New night frog species found- ''Nyctibatrachus mewasinghi''==
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| − | [http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/malabar-sanctuary-home-to-new-night-frog/article22333739.ece January 1, 2018: ''The Hindu'']
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| − | [[File: Nyctibatrachus mewasinghi is a species of night frog from Western Ghats in December 2017.jpg|Nyctibatrachus mewasinghi is a species of night frog from Western Ghats in December 2017 <br/> From: [http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/malabar-sanctuary-home-to-new-night-frog/article22333739.ece January 1, 2018: ''The Hindu'']|frame|500px]]
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| − | ''Nyctibatrachus mewasinghi is a new species of night frog from Western Ghats''
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| − | A new frog from Kerala is the latest contribution to the spurt in amphibian discoveries across India: scientists have just discovered the Mewa Singh’s Night frog, belonging to a genus endemic to the Western Ghats, from Kozhikode’s Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary.
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| − | According to a scientific paper published on December 26 in The Journal of Threatened Taxa (an international journal on conservation and taxonomy), the new night frog Nyctibatrachus mewasinghi is light brown in colour with an off-white underside, and sports faintly wrinkled skin with prominent granular projections.
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| − | Since many frogs in the genus Nyctibatrachus look similar, scientists from institutes, including the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (Pune, Maharashtra) and the Zoo Outreach Organisation (ZOO, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu) used both physical characteristics as well as genetic methods to confirm the frog as a new species. Using tissue samples of 10 collected specimens, the scientists analysed portions of two genes and found that it varied enough from other closely-related species to make the Mewa Singh’s night frog a different species. They also found that the frog’s genetically closest relatives are the Athirappilly night frog (found south of the Palakkad Gap in Thrissur and Idukki) and the Kempholey night frog (found in the northern Western Ghats of Kerala and Karnataka).
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| − | Morphologically, the Mewa Singh’s night frog can be distinguished from these similar-looking and genetically close relatives by several physical characteristics, including the pattern of its webbed fingers and toes. The frog has been named after wildlife scientist Mewa Singh, in honour of his contributions to behavioural ecology and primate studies.
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| − | The new frog is currently known only from Peruvannamuzhi in the Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary, where the scientists found it in a small stream running along the Peruvannamuzhi dam.
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| − | “It is an interesting species because of this currently-known restricted distribution,” says author Sanjay Molur of ZOO. “We will need more surveys to understand these frogs better.”
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| − | '''Close relative'''
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| − | What is unusual is that the frog’s genetically closest relative — the Athirappilly night frog — is found far away and across the Palakkad gap, says Mr. Molur. “Hence the species is also unique from a genetic perspective,” he says.
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| − | Frogs in the genus Nyctibatrachus, commonly known as night frogs, are found only in the Western Ghats mountain range. The addition of the Mewa Singh’s night frog to this group brings the total number of night frogs to 36.
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| − | =See also=
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| − | [[Delhi: Wildlife (Fauna)]]
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India made 104 requests for content removal and another 261 requests for account information. It was the sixth largest number of requests for account information after the US, Japan, the UK, Turkey and France. Twitter released these numbers in its half-yearly transparency report.
Twitter fulfilled 21% of the 261 account information requ ests India made. These requests covered 659 accounts. This number was up from 168 requests made in July-December 2016, where 427 accounts were specified. Although the number of requests has been lower in previous years, the number of accounts has been significantly higher before.
“These fluctuations and rise in numbers is tough to ascribe to any one factor. It could be because of more people using the service, or because of the government starting to recognise Twitter and social media as places where a law and order problem can occur, or it could be censorship,“ says Parminder Jeet Singh, executive director for Bengaluru-based NGO IT for Change.
The Indian government wants to know more about what you do on Twitter and its curiosity is only growing. The Centre’s requests from Twitter for user data has risen by over 100% in the last two years, as per the latest transparency report released by the social media major. Between January and June 2018, India sought information on 355 accounts, up from 261 and 139 in the first six months of 2017 and 2016 respectively. Twitter’s transparency data shows that the numbers every six months have been rising.
However, Twitter provided information in the case of only 11% of the requests made by the government in the first six months of 2018. It got 246 requests for removal of accounts in this period and obliged to only about 5% of them. Twitter’s rate of acceptance of government requests has fallen sharply, from 31% in the first half of 2016, to 11% in the latest period. Indian authorities (government, police, court orders) sought to remove 144 accounts in the second half of 2017, and 104 in the first half of that year.
The data showed Twitter withheld (prevented access to) two accounts and 23 tweets in response to a legal demand from the IT ministry for propagating objectionable content. Following legal requests, a total of 19 accounts and 498 tweets were withheld.
The past few years have seen increasingly harsh, often incendiary, posts on social media. More Indians have also flocked to Twitter to air their views. The rising requests from the government is partly a reflection of its attempt to control the more inflammatory posts. When demands are made legally, based on the laws of the land, social media companies are obliged to respect the demand. In other cases, they need to take into account whether accepting the government request would amount to violating the freedom of expression of the user.
In India, between 2012 and 2014, the government sent less than 100 requests for information. But in the first six months of 2015 alone, over 100 requests were made.
India is said to have about 30 million Twitter users, as per estimates by market research firm Statista.
Globally too, government requests have been rising. Twitter said that in the first half of the year, it received 10% more government information requests worldwide, compared to the preceding six-month period — the largest percentage increase since 2015. There was also an 80% rise in global legal demands for removal of accounts in the first six months, compared to the preceding sixmonth period. Close to 90% of these requests came from Russia and Turkey.
Of the 1,435 handles flagged by the government through two separate requests, 1,398 have been taken down, top sources said.
The breakthrough in the deadlock came after IT secretary Ajay Prakash Sawhney’s meeting with Twitter executives Monique Meche and Jim Baker late Wednesday evening, following which the American social media giant started to act against the users.
“The compliance has come in for almost the entire list of accounts that we had asked to be taken down. For the remaining, Twitter has said that it is following the due process, which includes sending notice to the users and other such steps,” a government source told TOI.
All the 1,178 handles that the government had flagged for possible links with Khalistani and Pakistani elements have been blocked.
Of the 257 handles that were sought to be blocked over the controversial hashtag, 220 have been taken down. “Some of the accounts could be duplicates,” the source said. However, some accounts such as that of CPM leader Mohammed Salim (@salimdotcomrade) and Caravan magazine (@thecaravanindia) remain functional. “We view this as a positive step that Twitter has taken. It does follow from the meaningful and healthy conversations that we had with the global executives of the company,” the government source said.
A spokesperson for Twitter in India did not respond to a questionnaire from TOI.
While the social media platform had earlier refused to comply with the government’s requests, on Wednesday, the IT secretary expressed displeasure over “differential treatment”.
“They must be obeyed immediately. If they are executed days later, it becomes meaningless,” IT Sawhney said. He also made it clear that the use of the controversial hashtag was neither journalistic freedom nor freedom of expression as such “irresponsible content could provoke and inflame” the situation.
Sources said that during the meeting, Baker, Twitter’s VP for legal matters, assured government representatives that the company would be mindful of the concerns. “Baker said that the global management of Twitter can be approached directly in case of violations that are sensitive in nature. This is seen as a massive reassurance to tackle hate, inflammatory and irresponsible messaging,” the source said.
Admittedly, of the 1,252 verified political handles analysed, only 133 belonged to female political activists, the rest being those of male politicians or party handles. Analysed and studied at Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Delhi and International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad, by a team of eight students as part of the focus on the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, these were culled after going through “over 21 million posts by roughly a million handles collected from the 2014 general elections”.
Ponnurangam Kumaraguru, associate professor at both IIITs, said he and his team of researchers covered data of over 2,585 Twitter handles which showed some sort of affiliation to an Indian political party. “This list was manually curated and we have been collecting data for these handles from late 2018 through the Twitter Application Programming Interface (API).”
On March 12, Trinamool Congress announced a list of candidates for West Bengal that had over 40% women. Similarly, Biju Janata Dal has said 33% of its candidates in Odisha will be women. A push of this nature is reflective of the increasing female participation on social media. On Twitter, for instance, the study showed that on average, women’s handles had 36,85,000 followers, with the minimum at 422 and the maximum of 12.2 million for external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj.
On average, the feminine handles generated 9,834 tweets each. Compare that with the 7,432 by their male counterparts. This is despite handles belong to men numbering 865, or 69.1%, of the 1,252 verified political handles. A majority of the female tweeters showed their origin to be in Maharashtra, Delhi and UP, the hotbed of political activism.
Social media will be a distinct factor in this election, felt Kumaraguru, and women politicians appeared to have a lot of clout on social media. “Gender diversity is a universal topic, and we find interesting patterns like female handles re-tweeting more,” said Kumaraguru. “Tweets by females on average get retweeted more than those by men — 550 times compared with 530 times for tweets by males.”
What do Indian women talk about on twitter? “Passions and pursuits” is the most discussed topic of conversation, with 25% of all women users coming on to Twitter to seek and consume this content. Out of this 25%, the majority (30%) seek content on fashion, 28% on books, 25% on beauty, 21% on movies and TV and 14% on sports. Over 40% of women said they discovered a new interest on Twitter.
‘Current affairs’ is the second most searched and consumed content, with 21% of all women users using Twitter to know what’s going on around them. Women from Delhi and Guwahati led this segment. About 21% use Twitter to stay informed on local and international news. Tweets about #StudentExams, #COVID19 related updates and #DelhiElections2020 dominated the conversation in this category.
These are findings from a research commissioned by Twitter India ahead of International Women’s Day. For the report, a qualitative curation and analysis of 5,22,992 tweets sent from Twitter accounts of women between January 2019 and February 2021 in 10 Indian cities was done.
The majority of women, 33%, use Twitter while commuting; 29% catch up on the latest tweets during breakfast and 22% don’t go to bed without looking it up. Although Twitter doesn’t have data on how many women users it has in India, their research found that almost 9% use it to create and participate in social movements like #MeToo and #TimesUp.
While Twitter can often be a toxic place for women with many journalists, celebrities and politicians often receiving abuse and even rape threats on it, this doesn’t deter women from using the platform. About 40% said it provides them with freedom of expression.
About 12% used the platform to connect and network with others in their communities, like #WomenInScience and #GirlGamers. Women from Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad were especially found to be active in this category. Nearly 7% women used Twitter to share and talk about everyday hardships like #Parenting, #WorkingFromHome.
“We commissioned this research to build our understanding about women on Twitter. Access to a free and open internet has made it possible for everyone to express themselves freely without barriers,” said Manish Maheshwari, managing director, Twitter India. While 41% of women have sought advice/tips/recommendations on the service, 37% have given advice/tips/recommendations.
