BJP’s official Facebook page ratings have come down to just 1.1 stars out of 5 stars after being downgraded by people demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh. As of now, out of total 32,000 odd votes, about 30,000 people have given it 1 star rating. 
Downrating a Facebook page seems to be a new form of protest many netizens have been resorting to in recent times. The campaign to downrate the page, which earlier had an average rating of 4.5 stars, was brought down by those miffed at not Andhra Pradesh not awarded special status.
Similar trend was seen on BJP Andhra Pradesh’s official Facebook page also, where the rating was brought down to 2.3 stars. Some of the people who had downrated the page had written in their Facebook bio that they are associated with Telugu Desam Party (TDP) where many MLAs are upset with their ally BJP over the Union Budget declared earlier this month.
The page also had similar messages.
This is not the first time Internet warriors have taken to Facebook downrating to show their anger, dislike towards someone. Last year, in August, Leftists from Kerala had brought up a cyber attack on Republic TV’s Facebook page to bring down the rating and giving it negative reviews. And after they were done downrating Facebook page, they had turned their attention to the Republic TV app on Play Store.
In 2015, Snapdeal received a lot of flak from angry right wingers when Aamir Khan thought the country is intolerant. It was also accused that this piece of down voting was ‘championed’ by the BJP and was termed as bullying by some eminent media persons:
Snapdeal pays ‘Lagaan’ For Aamir? Commercial bullying? @NalinSKohli @DeShobhaa @DILIPtheCHERIAN @sunilalagh &Nagma https://t.co/QU08ey162B
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) November 26, 2015
Similarly, down voting of “journalist” Barkha Dutt’s book The Unquiet Land on Amazon was called misogynist and was also referred to as “trolling” by journalists and politicians, alike:
Publishers must find a way to combat this #politics #troll @amazon @amazonIN @HarperCollinsIN @HarperCollins @penguinrandom @PenguinIndia https://t.co/rkmv5emIJz
— Derek O’Brien (@derekobrienmp) June 18, 2017
Waiting with bated breath for the eminent intellectuals to come out in support and condemn the bullying.
