Koo is a perfect reply by India to errant Twitter
With Government of India (GOI) and Twitter continuing tussles, Information Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar also joined new India developed social media App – Koo. Javadekar on Friday began using India’s micro-blogging platform ‘Koo’, joining several ministers who already created their accounts on it. Railways and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal was the Minister from Modi’s Cabinet to join the Koo App. Even the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) replied to Twitter from their Koo account. IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also joined Koo on Friday.
Making the announcement through his Twitter handle, Javadekar said, “I am now on #Koo also, the #MakeInIndia micro-blogging platform. Follow me @prakashjavadekar on #KooApp.” The application was launched 10 months ago but in the last few weeks, it saw a massive surge in user base as Union ministers and government departments have endorsed the homegrown microblogging platform amid
a spat with Twitter. Javadekar Tweeted:
I am now on #Koo also, the #MakeInIndia micro-blogging platform.
Follow me @prakashjavadekar on #KooApp https://t.co/YFMpR5CNKA pic.twitter.com/QrQRHxcOrZ
— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) February 12, 2021
IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad tweeted his happiness on joining Koo and said that he got five lakhs followers immediately:
Great to have 5 Lakh followers on Koo- an Indian micro blogging platform. Thank you everyone for your love and support #VocalForLocal
You can follow me on Koo App – https://t.co/lImf0anORa
— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) February 12, 2021
The information technology ministry used Koo to broadcast its stand on Twitter’s non-compliance with its order to take down allegedly inflammatory content by some farmer protesters, while ministers urged people to switch platforms. These developments have led to a surge in the user base of the Indian rival.
Koo, which has startling similarities with Twitter, now has over three million users, Koo co-founder Mayank Bidawataka had told media on Thursday. Even another partner Aprameya Radhakrishnan appeared in public broadcaster Doordarshan to explain the specialities of their product.
Koo has a yellow bird as its logo in contrast to the blue bird of Twitter.”We had two million users with about 1.5 million active users. Now, we have now crossed the 3 million mark,” said Bidawataka. Twitter has 17.5 million users and is ardently used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Cabinet ministers to communicate with the public.
There were reports appeared that Koo is having a Chinese investor and Aprameaya Radhakrishnan confirmed it and said the Chinese investor is expected to quit the venture by next month. According to reports Infosys promoter Mohandas Pai also invested in Koo App[1].
References:
[1] Koo app founder Aprameya Radhakrishna blasts privacy critics, says will get rid of Chinese connection ‘within a month’ – Feb 12, 2021, Zee News
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