Stories about India
Bollywood’s ‘Faraaz’ raises questions about trauma exploitation in art
The upcoming Bollywood thriller “Faraaz” sparked controversy in Bangladesh and a legal battle in India because of the incorrect portrayal of the key characters and the victims’ right to privacy.
Are youth in India, now more than ever, disinterested in politics?
It is challenging for millennials and gen-Zers to claim an "interest" in politics when the system is rife with corruption, nepotism, and chauvinism.
Undertones in India: Going undercover in Hindu supremacy networks
A group of researchers went undercover in far-right Hindu groups to break their bubble.
Climate change, digital authoritarianism and disinformation campaigns ruled in South Asia in 2022
With 2022 nearly over, situations in countries like Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka were extremely difficult. So, what did this year hold in store for South Asia? Read on.
A fact-check of India’s socio-political undercurrents: the case of Zubair
The reactions and subtle usage of language and labelling by and of different actors in the Indian ecosystem symbolise the undercurrents in Indian society.
Undertones: Why India’s Hindu nationalists revere UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
Hindu nationalists pick and choose who is "Indian enough" to serve their political interests
Egypt’s systemic greenwashing is sabotaging COP27 before it begins
While thousands of environmentalists, politicians, and scientists from all over the world converge on Egypt to attend COP27, the government is barring local civil society workers and activists from attending.
The tweets may flow: A look into India’s take-down requests
The tussle between social media giants, governments, and citizens raise questions about agency and power. Each stakeholder has tried to push back on the other to further their interests.
Societal beliefs and perceptions are the enemies of transgender people in India
Global Voices interviewed Somabha Bandopadhay, a community activist and a legal expert, to discuss the myriad challenges that transgender and hijra people face in India.
The true colours of Truecaller in India: app accused of being negligent about data privacy
According to recently published research, the popular app TrueCaller is plagued with constant breaches and data security failures, and the company is avoiding regulations and taxes in India.
Can citizens of democracies still trust the law? A Global Voices Insights discussion
The flip side of regulating the internet is that this enables the state to mobilise itself and erase the existence of these communities and their identities from popular culture and discussion.
Indian farmers are pushed to despair with huge bank loans
The farmers in India often get trampled on, either from erratic climate patterns or exploitative financial institutions or other forms of injustice. A VideoVolunteers Community Correspondent reports from Nashik, Maharashtra.
Solar powered device reduces human-animal conflict in India
An innovative device uses solar-powered technology to generate light flashes to scare animals away from agricultural fields, without harming them. This promises to reduce crop loss from wildlife attacks.
LIVE on September 22: Techno-authoritarianism in India
India's rapid digitization has been accompanied by an array of practices that curtail citizens' liberties. Join us on September 22 for a discussion of how citizens are pushing back.
LIVE on September 15: Can citizens of democracies still trust the law?
As digital authoritarianism spreads globally, is the law, one of the pillars of democracy, being used to undermine people's rights?
Bollywood's decline, Hindu nationalism's gain: A trend of fandom exodus
In recent years, Muslim Bollywood actors have been targeted for being "anti-national" and there are rising demands from the ultra-right that they need to conform to the Hindu-nationalist narrative.
Meet Ganesh Birua, a champion who is bringing the indigenous Ho language online
Ganesh Birua is a young activist from the Indian state of Odisha. Rising Voices talked with Birua to learn about his efforts to bring his mother tongue to the internet.
Unfreedom Monitor Report: India
Advox research into digital authoritarianism in India is now in a report. Read an excerpt and download the full pdf.
In Brazil and India we are seeing an increase in tensions between platforms and states
Research from the Unfreedom Monitor uncovers a pattern in the way that social media and tech platforms engage with states that practise digital authoritarianism.
Disruptive technologies, demagogic governance: Data (un)democracy in India during COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic not only resulted in a great loss of life in India, but also provided an impetus for authoritarian control.
Access the Unfreedom Monitor database
The Unfreedom Monitor is an Advox initiative to deepen our understanding of the relationship between technology and authoritarian power. In the first phase of this project, researchers working in 11 countries and four key themes conducted analysis of incidents, narratives, and media items, to explain acts of digital authoritarianism and...