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Young Indians See Social Media as Democratic Boost, Older Generations Disagree
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Moneycontrol•02-10-2026, 08:20
Young Indians See Social Media as Democratic Boost, Older Generations Disagree
- •A Pew Research Center survey reveals 74% of young Indians (18-34) believe social media benefits democracy, contrasting sharply with 50% of those aged 50 and above.
- •Overall, 66% of Indian adults view social media positively for democracy, higher than the 55% median across 37 surveyed countries.
- •Despite positive views, 62% of Indian respondents worry about social media making people vulnerable to misinformation, and 51% believe it increases political divisions.
- •The survey also found 66% feel these technologies better inform people about current events, and 55% believe they give people a stronger voice in politics.
- •Platform usage in India includes Facebook (43%), Instagram (38%), Snapchat (18%), and X (7%), with WhatsApp and YouTube excluded from this specific platform-use data.
Key Questions Answered
According to a Pew Research Center survey published on October 1, 74 percent of young Indians aged 18–34 view social media as good for democracy, compared to 50 percent of those aged 50 and above.
Views differ sharply by age, with a 24-percentage-point gap between the youngest group and the oldest group. Positive assessments stood at 74 percent for ages 18–34, 69 percent for ages 35–49, and 50 percent for those aged 50 and above.
Pew's accompanying research found that 43 percent of Indian adults reported using Facebook, 38 percent Instagram, 18 percent Snapchat, and 7 percent X, while WhatsApp and YouTube were excluded from these platform-use questions.
