HYDERABAD: THE popular mobile application WhatsApp had rolled out a new app for small businesses last year, called ‘WhatsApp Business’. And now, with the Lok Sabha polls right around the corner, the app is a hit with candidates who want to be accessible to people and address their problems round the clock.
The WhatsApp Business, which allows one to make their official profile and be directly accessible to regular WhatsApp users as a business entity, is helping the politicians stay connected to their electorate as well. How do you ask? The app has a unique feature that allows the enlisted ‘business’ to have a tailor-made response, including away messages, greeting messages, etc.
This maintains the communication trail and helps overcome the popular notion that politicos are inaccessible. In fact, candidates like G Kishan Reddy from Secunderabad and Konda Vishweshwar Reddy from Chevelle have already made their profiles and are encouraging voters to add them to local groups to get constant updates on their issues.
Though data experts note that WhatsApp business as such is not problematic in terms of our data getting into the wrong hands, an issue may arise if the politicos use the platform to campaign during the 48-hour Model Code of Conduct period for social media, as mandated by the Election Commission. “WhatsApp has a closed network and there is the very little scope of knowing what one is saying on the platform, so that would be something Election Commission may want to look into,” added Srinivas Kodali, data scientist and independent researcher.
Other data experts have also stated that WhatsApp groups can be notorious in terms of spreading fake news or unverified news, which if sent, in by an official profile could have much more far-reaching damage.
It must be noted that WhatsApp Business is superior to regular WhatsApp -- it allows the user to have details about the quantum of messages sent, read and the reach.“But WhatsApp, on the whole, has been trying to discourage the trend of it being used for political purposes,” added Srinivas.