The Indian Government is currently engaged in a tussle with microblogging app/site Twitter over the suspension of a few accounts which the Government and its supporters believe highlights Twitter’s bias against them.
In the midst of this, an app originally developed last year has now come into the limelight with multiple ministers and other Government departments joining the platform. Known as the Koo app, many on Twitter are currently flocking to the platform with the hope that this would serve as an alternative.
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What is the Koo app?
Much like Twitter, Koo is a microblogging site that allows users to sign up and interact with people while also expressing their opinions. The app was co-founded by Aprameya Radhakrishna and Mayank Bidwatka in March 2020. The platform allows users to share videos, photos, links, and other media content. Koo has a post size limit of 400 characters while Twitter only allows 280 characters per post.
What led to the sudden surge in popularity of the Koo app?
Makers of the Koo app participated in the Centre’s Atmanirbhar App Innovation Challenge, going on to win the challenge accompanied by fellow India-made applications Chingari and Zoho. The Koo app was also mentioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his weekly Mann Ki Baat address.
Who are some of the prominent users on the Koo app?
As of today, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Law and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Karnataka MPs Tejasvi Surya and Shobha Karandlaje, Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and other notable politicians have created profiles on the Koo app.
Meanwhile, former India cricketers Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath, as well as spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev have also opened accounts on the platform.
Further, Government agencies like the Central IT Ministry, India Post, and Niti Aayog now have accounts on Koo.
Can Koo replace Twitter?
With several celebrities and politicians expected to join Koo over the next few weeks, this platform is certainly not going away anytime soon. This also illustrates the Indian Government’s eagerness to seek an alternative for Twitter amidst the aforementioned tussle.
To summarize, Koo is an app that has seen a sudden surge in popularity over the past few days. The main challenge for the makers will be to increase and maintain the number of active users. This will largely determine how the app goes in the long run.
Twitter vs Indian Government
The Union IT Ministry had said that Twitter is “obliged to obey the directions of the government. Refusal to do so will invite penal action.” The Centre has also warned that non-compliance with the government’s requests could lead to legal action under Section 69A (3) of the IT Act. This comes with the possibility of financial penalties along with the likelihood of imprisonment for up to seven years.
Also read - Plea Seeking Deactivation Of Kangana Ranaut's Twitter Account Filed In Bombay High Court
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