Ads for influencers in UP’s new social media policy

The Uttar Pradesh government will empanel social media influencers and content creators, and issue them advertisements about the administration’s schemes and achievements, with monthly payments ranging between ₹2 lakh and ₹8 lakh to each entity, according to a new digital media policy made public on Wednesday.
The UP cabinet chaired by chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday cleared the policy that effectively expands the government’s existing media advertisement policy to social media influencers and content firms on X, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.
The 14-page draft policy, issued in Hindi, said individual entities or influencers, content writers, agencies and firms that have worked for at least two years, would need to apply to get empanelled.
Any applicants will need to submit an analytics report for the past six months and affidavits declaring that no criminal case was registered against them. An affidavit will also need to declare that the information given by the applicant was correct. The process for empanelment is likely to involve police verification as well.
“Payment will be done purely on the basis of views,” the policy said.
If there are errors found in the application, action will be initiated against the applicants, and they will be removed from the scheme. If any such content by an empanelled member is found to be vulgar, obscene, “anti-national”, anti-social, hurts any segment of society, or presents the government’s scheme in a wrong or negative light, then payment can be stopped. Further, action can also be taken in such cases, the policy said.
The individual entities/influencers, agencies and firms will be divided into four categories (A, B, C, D) for every platform, based on the number of their subscribers or followers. Content of less than 90 seconds will be considered a short/reel while the content of more than 90 seconds would be considered a video. Those empanelled will have to adhere to the provisions of the IT Act and ensure that no content spreading hatred, social disharmony or obscene, indecent, anti-national and objectionable in nature is uploaded on the social media.
“The account holders, influencers posting the content on X, Facebook and Instagram would get a maximum payment of ₹5 lakh, ₹4 lakh, ₹3 lakh and ₹2 lakh per month based on their category. The maximum payment for uploading videos, shorts and podcasts on YouTube would be ₹8 lakh, ₹7 lakh, ₹6 lakh and ₹4 lakh per month,” said a press statement.
The policy sparked a political row.
“This is a bribe given by the BJP for favouritism. The BJP is trying to create a new age bard who will always lie at the feet of the government to cover up its misdeeds,” Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said.
The Opposition also sought to link the state government’s step with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s poor performance in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, where the ruling outfit won 33 of the 80 seats and finished second to the SP’s 37.
But officials aware of the development said it was felt that a large chunk of Uttar Pradesh’s people were living in other states or abroad, and it will be better to reach them through digital media handles, pages or platforms.
“The reach of digital media has been expanding. The state government has come out with a transparent policy to reach out to the people and take our schemes and achievements to them. The government will pay for the advertisements in the same way that is done for the conventional media,”a government official said requesting anonymity.
For Facebook registration, there are four categories. Those with a minimum of 1 million subscribers should have posted a minimum of 10 original videos or 20 original posts every month for the past six months. Those with 500,000 followers should have posted eight original videos or 16 original posts per month in the past six months. Those with a minimum of 200,000 followers should have six original videos or 12 original posts. Those having 100,000 followers should have five original videos or 10 original posts, posted every month in the past six months.
For X registration, those with a minimum of 500,000 followers should have posted in the past six months at least 15 original videos per month or 30 original posts. Those with 300,000 followers should have 12 original videos or 30 original posts every month for the past six months. Those with 200,000 followers should have posted at least 10 original videos or 20 posts every month. Those with a minimum of 100,000 followers should have posted eight original videos or 15 original posts every month in the past six months.
For Instagram registration, those with 500,000 followers should have posted 15 original videos or 30 original posts every month in the past six months. With a minimum of 300,000 followers, the need is for 12 original videos or 30 original posts every month for six months. With 200,000 followers, at least 10 original videos or 20 posts every month must have been posted. With 100,000 followers, the ask is for at least eight original videos or 15 posts.
For YouTube registration, those with a minimum of 1 million subscribers, at least 12 original videos every month in the past six months is the minimum requirement. Those with 500,000 subscribers, the need is a minimum of 10 original videos per month for the past six months. For registration with a minimum of 200,000 subscribers, eight original videos are a must every month while those with 100,000 subscribers, at least six original videos per month for the past six months is needed.
The number of followers or subscribers will be checked every three months and any change will change the category of the handle, and the nature of advertisement issued. Any agencies or handles that will refuse to carry advertisements issued to them, may be blacklisted.