Social media goof ups are not a new thing. The case of mistaken identity is very common on interactive platforms. I mean how many times have you typed someone’s name on Facebook and ten results have popped up?
But when it happens on a massive level, it’s kind of scary and the insults can put you down, even if they aren’t meant for you.
A similar situation happened with a Goan DJ, Ajit Pai. ‘Why’, you ask? Well, across the seven oceans there lives another man named Ajit Pai. The Indian-American is the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission.
Ajit Pai, unfortunately, isn’t a very popular man in the states right now. According to The Verge, the FCC delivered a 3-2 vote to remove net neutrality in America. And it is Ajit who is leading this move.
However, in rage against the US-based Ajit Pai, people found the desi Ajit and flooded his social media accounts with hateful comments. Talking to The Verge, DJ Ajit Pai said,
“I’ve been getting death [threats] and abusive calls the whole night, since we are 10 and half hours ahead of your time [in India].”
He said that his mailbox is flooded with emails and he needs to empty it out every two days. DJ Pai said that he can’t even keep track of the number of mentions he gets in comments.
Pai on his part is handling the comments better than would be expected. He said that he was okay in knowing the hurtful things weren’t actually meant for him. He even redirects some to the attorney, saying,
“I still reply many times and then people realize it’s not the same person, so they’re apologetic, some of them continue the rage anyways.”
Some people have even taken it upon themselves to help DJ Pai and have been replying to each person commenting and sending them to the Ajit Pai they were looking for. This has made the DJ more relaxed.
On his part, he feels strongly about net neutrality being a strong supporter of free internet.
DJ Pai spoke about when India too was at the hands of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India about the same issue of net neutrality. Advocating for keeping the internet free, he said,
Pai may never get to meet the other Pai from across the borders but has some words for him. The DJ wants to tell the FCC Chairman, “If the inventors of the internet never kept a patent, or any kind of control nor rights for themselves over their invention, and gave it to the world for free … not you, neither any greedy politician nor any over-ambitious corporate has the right to control its flow.”
I’m all for free internet and net neutrality, but just a pro tip, if you want to be heard, maybe voice it to the correct guy from next time!?