If you think Facebook is all about friends and their activity stream, you probably need to visit the Delhi Traffic police (DTP) page to understand what FB journalism means.
Delhi Traffic Police launched its Facebook page a few weeks back and serious actions are now being taken against the offenders reported by ‘citizen FB-journalists’.
Facebook users have started reporting traffic violations (photo uploads) at DTP’s Facebook page, especially the ones that fall under ‘pillion rider not wearing helmet’ and ‘cars with tinted glasses’.
What’s interesting is that Delhi police is ‘actually’ taking actions (they love to issue challan anyways) and in some cases, actions have been taken against their own inspectors too.
DTP’s social media initiative has been undertaken for Common Wealth Games and while a lot of FB fans are questioning Delhi Traffic Police’s real motive, i.e. of easing traffic (vs. issuing challan), the good news is that Facebook has turned into a citizen journalism portal.
Do you approve of this? After all, how ‘legal’ is to click pictures while driving?
Is there a disconnect here, as far as the optimal usage of social media is concerned, i.e. of DTP outsourcing its job to citizens and not performing the job it was supposed to?
To add to the context, Delhi is considered world’s fifth worst city for traffic, as per a recent study.
Nearly all of Delhi’s drivers said traffic negatively affected their health. Almost two-thirds (62%) said that traffic had affected their work or academic performance.
Delhi’s drivers reported a typical one-way commute of 40-42 minutes. But what did they find most irritating about driving in the capital? Close to two-thirds (66%) of the drivers said stop-start traffic was the most frustrating part of their commute, even more aggravating than Delhi’s notoriously aggressive driving style.- source
So Delhi Traffic Police Facebook fans – are you running after wrong metrics? Shouldn’t you be tracking ideas sent to DTP, in order to improve the traffic situation?
PS: Media folks, please feel free to reuse this, without giving us credits 
So now all you need is GIMP/photoshop skillz to land get someone a ticket.
-Tarun
i wonder who managed to convince them into this. which PR agency is handling their a/c?
this will surely help them gain some +ve response and ‘real’ fans.
as per the legal aspects of clicking pics and outsourcing work is concerned i believe it is fine.
its not really outsourcing the job. its almost like giving an additional access point for filing FIR. if someone breaks traffic rules it is actually a risk for me. so i am doing this for my safety.
clicking pics – well if it does some good, breaking a little bookish law will not harm. talking/clicking when the vehicle is not moving will does not harm anyone. conformists abide by the books and they can never bring about a change.
Simply wow!!! This is what I call a progressive country – Chandan from Rambhai.com
This is what Social Media eventually has to be about e-governance and vigilantism. Blogs and Social media are bringing power to people in a way never thought of before.
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