In the ever-evolving digital era, the socialization of media has placed immense power quite literally at our fingertips. Social media has become a ubiquitous part of our daily lives, with platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram shaping how we connect, communicate, and consume content. This phenomenon is especially pronounced in India, home to the world’s largest youth population according to a UN report, and the second-largest base of social media users globally, trailing only behind China. While China’s social media ecosystem operates under stringent control by the Chinese Communist Party, India treads a path that balances freedom and regulation.
Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and expression, yet this freedom is not absolute. Reasonable restrictions exist to ensure national security, public order, decency, and protection against defamation.
The regulatory framework in India, guided by the Information Technology Act, 2000 and subsequent amendments like the IT Rules, 2021, mandates platforms to act against unlawful or morally questionable content while adhering to government directives. Despite these restrictions, platforms enjoy significant operational freedom, though they must vigilantly address issues like hate speech, misinformation, and incitement to violence. At the heart of social media lies the algorithm—a blend of rules, signals, and data that dictates how content is filtered, ranked, and recommended. Think of these algorithms as digital librarians, organizing vast oceans of content into curated streams tailored to individual preferences. Let me explain you this briefly – When you publish a post on Facebook or search for something on Instagram, the algorithm quietly works behind the scenes, identifying patterns in your behaviour to serve you content that aligns with your interests. Ever noticed an ad for something you were merely thinking about? That’s the power of algorithms tracking your digital footprint.
While algorithms enhance user experience by connecting people with like-minded communities and preferred content, they also present challenges. From targeted propaganda campaigns to echo chambers amplifying specific narratives, these tools are often weaponized to influence public opinion and social behaviour. Social media’s influence extends far beyond just connecting individuals—it has grown into a formidable tool for information dissemination, political campaigning, social awareness, and even employment generation. Campaigns and trends originating on these platforms shape societal narratives, sometimes subtly, sometimes overtly. We always talk about our environment, but we ignore about the digital environment that we gave birth. Today’s youths are directly or indirectly breathing some elements of this digital environment.
A national survey in India revealed that 60% of youngsters aged 9 to 17 spend over three hours daily on social media or gaming platforms. This staggering statistic underscores how deeply ingrained social media is in the lives of today’s youth. However, with this ubiquity comes a darker side—cybercrimes, online harassment, and even anti-national activities proliferate in the same space where memes, updates, and viral challenges thrive. Social media has opened new vistas for creativity, employment, and activism. Digital marketing, influencer partnerships, and content creation have become lucrative career paths, once unimaginable in the pre-digital era. Simultaneously, it has become a space for activism, enabling the marginalized voices.
But this power comes with responsibility. Whether as casual users, marketers, or policymakers, we must understand and respect the intricacies of these platforms. Staying updated on trends, leveraging algorithms ethically, and using social media as a force for good can ensure its potential is realized without compromising individual privacy or societal harmony. Social media is indeed a double-edged sword. It holds the potential to educate, connect, and inspire, but it also poses risks of manipulation and harm. As India continues to lead in youth engagement with these platforms, the focus should be on fostering responsible usage while embracing the opportunities it presents. From being a mere communication tool to becoming a field of study and a career avenue, social media has come a long way. Let’s harness this power, not be consumed by it.
(Neptune Barman is pursuing MA in English at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Nalbari, Assam)
