FutureForward

The Echo Chamber and the Goons: Dissecting the Toxic Tactics of Kerala's 'INDEPENDENT NEWS' Clubhouse Room In the digital age, the town square has moved online, and Clubhouse, the audio-based social media app, has become a vibrant, often contentious, space for Malayali political discourse. Among the thousands of rooms that pop up daily, one named “INDEPENDENT NEWS” has carved out a specific niche, attracting listeners with its bold claims and uncompromising stance. However, a closer listen reveals a room less concerned with independent journalism and more dedicated to a concerted campaign against the CPI(M)-led LDF government and the Muslim community, often relying on misinformation and intimidation to fuel its narrative. The room’s primary objective, as stated by its moderators and regular speakers, is to act as a counterweight to what they call the "mainstream media's bias" towards the Left government. Yet, in its mission to "expose" the LDF, the r...