The Impact of Meta's Platform Governance on Political Power and Electoral Strategy in India's 2019 General Election

This essay investigates the extent to which Meta's algorithmic governance and content moderation reshaped political power and electoral strategies during India's 2019 General Election.

Employing a qualitative case study design, the author triangulates data from the Oxford Internet Institute, whistleblower leaks, and archival records. The analysis applies Steven Lukes' three dimensions of power and Shoshana Zuboff's theory of surveillance capitalism to evaluate "instrumentarian power."

The author argues that while offline factors remained decisive, Meta's asymmetric enforcement and algorithmic amplification acted as a force multiplier that advantaged the ruling party. The work is distinguished by its nuanced comparative analysis with elections in the US and Brazil and its rigorous application of global politics frameworks.