Research Suggests 5 Things Gen Z Should Do After a Successful Protest

Research Suggests 5 Things Gen Z Should Do After a Successful Protest

Young protesters have helped remove political leaders, forced governments to abandon unpopular policies and made corruption and bad governance major political issues in countries around the world. Securing major concessions from a government, however, is only the first step toward lasting change, which requires five more tasks, according to an analysis by political scientists Erica Chenoweth and Matthew Cebul.

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How Gen Z Outsmarted the Govt With a New Version of ‘Gandhigiri’

How Gen Z Outsmarted the Govt With a New Version of ‘Gandhigiri’

In the days after police used batons and tear gas on thousands of young protesters at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on July 20, the youngsters responded with “reactance,” not the reaction authorities expected. Knowing their audience was on social media, especially Instagram, they posted videos of themselves joking, staged photographs beside the same officers who had charged them, and made reels that turned a shy Mumbai police constable into a viral heartthrob. While a crackdown is built to produce fear, they answered it with laughter instead: a version of “Gandhigiri” that turned the very officers meant to intimidate them into props for their own campaign.

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AI is Changing How Indian Newsrooms Reach Audiences
NB, News Briefings, July 2026 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, July 2026 Vishal Arora

AI is Changing How Indian Newsrooms Reach Audiences

Artificial intelligence is changing how Indian newsrooms reach their audiences, and the way outlets handle that change will affect what news people see, how well they can trust it and whether independent journalism can survive on platforms it no longer controls. This came out at a panel discussion at the India launch of the Digital News Report 2026, an annual study of global news consumption by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford.

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India’s Growing Creator Economy Is Changing Society for Better and Worse
NB, News Briefings, July 2026 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, July 2026 Vishal Arora

India’s Growing Creator Economy Is Changing Society for Better and Worse

Millions of Indians now create videos, podcasts, photographs and social media content for online audiences. A new study suggests that content creation is spreading to smaller cities, growing more professional and occupying an increasingly important place in young people's lives. This growth brings significant social benefits. It could also bring problems of mental health, misinformation and a culture increasingly driven by the pursuit of attention.

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Is India’s $1 Billion Push for Influencers a Political Strategy?
NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora NB, News Briefings, March 2025 Vishal Arora

Is India’s $1 Billion Push for Influencers a Political Strategy?

The Indian government’s decision to allocate $1 billion (about 8,300 crore rupees) to promote the influencer economy may not reflect just economic aspirations, but also potential political calculations. Does this initiative purely aim to expand India's digital economy, or could it subtly serve to extend ideological influence in the rapidly evolving landscape of social media?

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The Hidden Financial Perils of the Influencer Dream
Perspective, FC, Featured Commentary, Commentary, Dec24 Vishal Arora Perspective, FC, Featured Commentary, Commentary, Dec24 Vishal Arora

The Hidden Financial Perils of the Influencer Dream

In an era where social media stardom seems to promise instant wealth and fame, thousands of aspiring influencers are pouring their life savings into a vision that, for most, remains frustratingly out of reach. Behind the glossy facade of perfectly curated Instagram feeds and viral TikTok videos lies a sobering reality: the path to influencer success is often paved with serious financial troubles.

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