Case shows dangers of ‘influencers’ on the loose minus checks

Kolkata: The social media post by an influencer on an Olypub service issue ignited a debate—both online and offline—on the boundaries of influencers.The debate is also about the growing sense of entitlement—the belief that a good number of subscribers gives power to pass judgements, if social media popularity indeed allows a free pass to ignore rules and cross boundaries.
Influencer Sayak Chakraborty lodged a complaint at the Park Street PS and posted a vlog against an Olypub waiter for serving the wrong meat. The waiter was arrested and is now in prison. Chakraborty on Sunday claimed in a post, "My issue was specifically with the mistake made by Oly Pub. It is possible that my reaction was also wrong. I am sorry. In the future, I do not want to get involved in such controversies while making vlogs."National Award-winning director Supriyo Sen condemned Chakraborty, calling it a "vile conspiracy to fuel communal tensions". He took to social media to say it was time to "put down the pen and the camera". Sen later told TOI that while social media gave a platform to many who earlier had no voice, the "democratisation of empowerment" had its pitfalls. "Learned people think before giving an opinion. With no checks and balances, these influencers broadcast uninformed opinions. The more controversial the comment, the greater the reach and the revenue. This culture is dangerous."Filmmaker Debalina Majumdar, once a regular at Olypub, claimed to have never heard of Chakraborty despite being active on social media. "Many influencers supposedly have huge followings yet remain unknown outside their online bubble. This (Sayak's vlog) reeked of entitlement. The most disturbing part was that his vile behaviour still shaped real-world ‘influence', including a waiter's arrest," she said.Chakraborty posted a comment on Sunday, saying: "The theories about this being ‘scripted' or something similar are genuinely surprising to me. It is true I went to the police station out of anger. I lost my cool because of Oly Pub's casual approach towards their mistake... I am dependent on the public, so whatever people say is right, perhaps. I am withdrawing my complaint against that gentleman and Oly Pub."Prasanta Ray, professor emeritus of sociology at Presidency University, told TOI the rise of such influencers was alarming. He said some were inherently perverse and social media amplified their behaviour, while others were easily manipulated by politicians. He called it "low-level politics" with harmful social consequences. "The educated society has little ability to counter it. The most worrying part is people may believe the allegations," Ray said.Psychiatrists said many influencers, who stirred up controversies for wrong reasons, showed attention-seeking traits. "They may go to extremes to feel important, with body language and voice that keep the focus only on themselves and their views. They assume this persona will attract followers, and it works while views rise. When engagement drops, they risk serious psychological problems," said Amit Bhattacharya, director of the Institute of Psychiatry at SSKM Hospital.