Express News Service
KOCHI: Social media has come a great distance. What began off as a way to attach folks throughout the globe has now emerged as an integral a part of human life. It has, in actual fact, invaded restrooms, too. Maverick tycoon Elon Musk’s takeover of the micro-blogging platform Twitter for $44 billion is a touch of social media’s affect over the world right this moment.
From Orkut, a platform the place a number of children made ‘friendships’ on-line, the prominence slowly moved to Facebook. Long-lost friendships and relations through everybody’s darling ‘FB’. Soon adopted WhatsApp, TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, and Snapchat. And if not hooked on any of those, one needs to be a Luddite.
When the pandemic struck in 2020, the variety of folks utilizing social media surged. As per current knowledge revealed by Statista, Facebook stays the most well-liked social networking platform worldwide, with 2,910 million month-to-month lively customers (as of January 2022).
It is adopted by YouTube (2,562 million), WhatsApp (2,000 million), Instagram (1,478 million) and WeChat (1,263 million). Banned in India, TikTok has about 1,000 million customers globally. In India, cheaper smartphones and knowledge plans have made the web extra accessible, shattering the digital divide that existed between rural and concrete areas.
From politics to spirituality and well-being to wealth creation, there’s a content material rampage on the market.
What’s in vogue? “Instagram is the highest choose amongst many children,” says enterprise analyst Jonath M Thomas. “Initially, I discovered Facebook partaking however, with time, the platform lacked authentic, revolutionary content material. Now I favor Instagram particularly to observe present occasions.”
Jonath provides he finds the Insta interface extra compact and enjoys the condensed content material. Manu A T M, who has been dealing with the official pages of a number of celebrities for the previous 15 years, says a fast provide of leisure is a forte of Instagram.
“The reels and IGTV have revolutionised the best way folks eat content material,” he says. “Also, many children see Instagram as a platform to make simple cash. More collaboration works of firms are occurring now on Instagram. For occasion, content material creators have began getting cash even for reels. I imagine there was a drastic fall within the variety of Facebook customers.”
Twitter, Manu notes, is one other partaking platform that’s regularly gaining traction in Kerala. “However, the volumes are comparatively decrease. Twitter is generally dominated by folks sharing information, social insights and political feedback,” he provides.
FB stays fave However, for poet Aleena, 26, the good-old Facebook stays her most popular net area. She considers it as a studying medium. “My areas of curiosity are politics, social observations and private anecdotes,” she says. “From the Insta feeds that consider politics, I really feel the platform sees extra peripheral views versus FB. For occasion, there appears to be a compulsion amongst feminist influencers to please followers whereas stating opinions on Instagram.”
Facebook, Aleena says, helped her realise she may use her “voice and produce a change”. “I began penning down my ideas on FB. Then I started writing poetry. Soon I may create a readers’ neighborhood on the platform,” she provides.
Aleena believes a lot of right this moment’s mainstream voices from marginalised communities obtained their “preliminary push” from social media. “Also, many ladies whose voices have been stifled throughout the partitions of their houses at the moment are getting themselves famous within the net area.”
Beware of trapsOn the flip aspect, Aleena says, the online world may make one really feel inferior, too. “Especially Instagram, a spot that I understand because the ‘gallery of excellent issues’, or an area that solely reveals the nice aspect of individuals,” she says.
“Initially such content material made me involved about my physique, as an illustration. I used to be an individual who at all times accepted the best way I used to be, and was least bothered about seems. After seeing a plethora of posts on ‘good’ physique form, abs, and so forth., my confidence waned. The truth I had hip-dips, one thing I by no means thought-about a difficulty, began to fret me.”
Aleena provides a dialogue with pals revealed that she was not alone; a lot of them echoed related considerations. “Eventually, I took a break from Insta simply to return to my actual self,” she smiles. On the problem of poisonous content material, radio jockey Nidhi Sebastian says such points boil down to 1’s selections. “If you don’t like some content material, you can both report or unfollow; thereafter ideas of the identical wouldn’t pop up,” she says.
“I imagine Instagram has develop into a extra inclusive area for all. There is vogue content material for all physique varieties, as an illustration. There can also be a number of content material on topics resembling intercourse schooling and psychological well being, which could not be simply accessible to many. Life hacks, upcycling, thrifting, minimalism, and so forth., are different fascinating areas. I actually imagine the platform is turning into extra informative.”
Staying related…Thiruvananthapuram-based school scholar Susan J says, “There are a number of folks, like me, who simply love staying related with the world, and letting different folks know their presence by merely sharing reels on Instagram”.
Susan’s second selection is Twitter, the place she follows information and Asian leisure. “Sending mundane snaps by Snapchat to pals is one other exercise for time-pass,” she quips.
‘More alternatives, revenue’ With social media exploding, advertising and marketing firms have as nicely. Kannur native ad-maker Malavika Nambiar highlights that social media diversification has created many roles and revenue avenues for the youth.
“Creative freelancers, like me, at the moment are getting extra alternatives,” she says. “Ad firms ship us model particulars and merchandise for social media advertising and marketing.”
People, in actual fact, are placing out their greatest type of creativity and hooking viewers like by no means earlier than. Several, artists who by no means obtained a lot visibility earlier, are utilizing social media platforms as an efficient medium to make a mark.
Popular content material creators Prajakta Koli (who goes by the social media deal with ‘@mostlysane’) and Mallika Dua prime examples of celebs who transitioned from social media to mainstream leisure.
In Kerala, budding actor Adhri Joe, who obtained a break in Thallumala, began off as an internet content material creator. “My intention had at all times been movies,” says the Muvattupuzha resident. “I started creating content material, with the massive display in my sight. I’ve two movie tasks lined up. However, although it will be onerous to be constant on social media now, I undoubtedly put out clear, high quality content material, which makes folks snort.” Kannur-based content material creator Soumiya Ruth, 25, is on the same tangent. She says social media visibility helped her enter the quick movie circuit.
“Many folks view social media as a launchpad,” says Soumiya, who largely does comedy primarily based on topics resembling atheism. “Also, the market is large. There are businesses that join content material creators with manufacturers. Many have a gradual movement of revenue. However, the query of sustainability prevails. There is a component of uncertainty.”
Kochi-based Sharan Nair, 29, has develop into a well-liked determine, after taking a leap from the company world to content material creation. “It shouldn’t be a cakewalk,” he says. “It includes a number of work. What fuels one is ardour. I can proceed like this irrespective of how taxing it will get.”
Sharan just lately obtained into GQ journal’s record of best-dressed folks in 2022. He set to work with manufacturers resembling Netflix and Red Bull India as nicely.
“I believe I’ve one of the best life on earth,” he says. “Getting to do what I like making movies of my pals, and doing enjoyable actions with them for a dwelling is, certainly, a boon. I primarily get remuneration by Insta model collaborations. YouTube can also be one other supply of revenue.”
With inputs from Steni Simon
KOCHI: Social media has come a great distance. What began off as a way to attach folks throughout the globe has now emerged as an integral a part of human life. It has, in actual fact, invaded restrooms, too. Maverick tycoon Elon Musk’s takeover of the micro-blogging platform Twitter for $44 billion is a touch of social media’s affect over the world right this moment.
From Orkut, a platform the place a number of children made ‘friendships’ on-line, the prominence slowly moved to Facebook. Long-lost friendships and relations through everybody’s darling ‘FB’. Soon adopted WhatsApp, TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, and Snapchat. And if not hooked on any of those, one needs to be a Luddite.
When the pandemic struck in 2020, the variety of folks utilizing social media surged. As per current knowledge revealed by Statista, Facebook stays the most well-liked social networking platform worldwide, with 2,910 million month-to-month lively customers (as of January 2022).
It is adopted by YouTube (2,562 million), WhatsApp (2,000 million), Instagram (1,478 million) and WeChat (1,263 million). Banned in India, TikTok has about 1,000 million customers globally. In India, cheaper smartphones and knowledge plans have made the web extra accessible, shattering the digital divide that existed between rural and concrete areas.
From politics to spirituality and well-being to wealth creation, there’s a content material rampage on the market.
What’s in vogue?
“Instagram is the highest choose amongst many children,” says enterprise analyst Jonath M Thomas. “Initially, I discovered Facebook partaking however, with time, the platform lacked authentic, revolutionary content material. Now I favor Instagram particularly to observe present occasions.”
Jonath provides he finds the Insta interface extra compact and enjoys the condensed content material. Manu A T M, who has been dealing with the official pages of a number of celebrities for the previous 15 years, says a fast provide of leisure is a forte of Instagram.
“The reels and IGTV have revolutionised the best way folks eat content material,” he says. “Also, many children see Instagram as a platform to make simple cash. More collaboration works of firms are occurring now on Instagram. For occasion, content material creators have began getting cash even for reels. I imagine there was a drastic fall within the variety of Facebook customers.”
Twitter, Manu notes, is one other partaking platform that’s regularly gaining traction in Kerala. “However, the volumes are comparatively decrease. Twitter is generally dominated by folks sharing information, social insights and political feedback,” he provides.
FB stays fave
However, for poet Aleena, 26, the good-old Facebook stays her most popular net area. She considers it as a studying medium. “My areas of curiosity are politics, social observations and private anecdotes,” she says. “From the Insta feeds that consider politics, I really feel the platform sees extra peripheral views versus FB. For occasion, there appears to be a compulsion amongst feminist influencers to please followers whereas stating opinions on Instagram.”
Facebook, Aleena says, helped her realise she may use her “voice and produce a change”. “I began penning down my ideas on FB. Then I started writing poetry. Soon I may create a readers’ neighborhood on the platform,” she provides.
Aleena believes a lot of right this moment’s mainstream voices from marginalised communities obtained their “preliminary push” from social media. “Also, many ladies whose voices have been stifled throughout the partitions of their houses at the moment are getting themselves famous within the net area.”
Beware of traps
On the flip aspect, Aleena says, the online world may make one really feel inferior, too. “Especially Instagram, a spot that I understand because the ‘gallery of excellent issues’, or an area that solely reveals the nice aspect of individuals,” she says.
“Initially such content material made me involved about my physique, as an illustration. I used to be an individual who at all times accepted the best way I used to be, and was least bothered about seems. After seeing a plethora of posts on ‘good’ physique form, abs, and so forth., my confidence waned. The truth I had hip-dips, one thing I by no means thought-about a difficulty, began to fret me.”
Aleena provides a dialogue with pals revealed that she was not alone; a lot of them echoed related considerations. “Eventually, I took a break from Insta simply to return to my actual self,” she smiles. On the problem of poisonous content material, radio jockey Nidhi Sebastian says such points boil down to 1’s selections. “If you don’t like some content material, you can both report or unfollow; thereafter ideas of the identical wouldn’t pop up,” she says.
“I imagine Instagram has develop into a extra inclusive area for all. There is vogue content material for all physique varieties, as an illustration. There can also be a number of content material on topics resembling intercourse schooling and psychological well being, which could not be simply accessible to many. Life hacks, upcycling, thrifting, minimalism, and so forth., are different fascinating areas. I actually imagine the platform is turning into extra informative.”
Staying related…
Thiruvananthapuram-based school scholar Susan J says, “There are a number of folks, like me, who simply love staying related with the world, and letting different folks know their presence by merely sharing reels on Instagram”.
Susan’s second selection is Twitter, the place she follows information and Asian leisure. “Sending mundane snaps by Snapchat to pals is one other exercise for time-pass,” she quips.
‘More alternatives, revenue’
With social media exploding, advertising and marketing firms have as nicely. Kannur native ad-maker Malavika Nambiar highlights that social media diversification has created many roles and revenue avenues for the youth.
“Creative freelancers, like me, at the moment are getting extra alternatives,” she says. “Ad firms ship us model particulars and merchandise for social media advertising and marketing.”
People, in actual fact, are placing out their greatest type of creativity and hooking viewers like by no means earlier than. Several, artists who by no means obtained a lot visibility earlier, are utilizing social media platforms as an efficient medium to make a mark.
Popular content material creators Prajakta Koli (who goes by the social media deal with ‘@mostlysane’) and Mallika Dua prime examples of celebs who transitioned from social media to mainstream leisure.
In Kerala, budding actor Adhri Joe, who obtained a break in Thallumala, began off as an internet content material creator.
“My intention had at all times been movies,” says the Muvattupuzha resident. “I started creating content material, with the massive display in my sight. I’ve two movie tasks lined up. However, although it will be onerous to be constant on social media now, I undoubtedly put out clear, high quality content material, which makes folks snort.”
Kannur-based content material creator Soumiya Ruth, 25, is on the same tangent. She says social media visibility helped her enter the quick movie circuit.
“Many folks view social media as a launchpad,” says Soumiya, who largely does comedy primarily based on topics resembling atheism. “Also, the market is large. There are businesses that join content material creators with manufacturers. Many have a gradual movement of revenue. However, the query of sustainability prevails. There is a component of uncertainty.”
Kochi-based Sharan Nair, 29, has develop into a well-liked determine, after taking a leap from the company world to content material creation. “It shouldn’t be a cakewalk,” he says. “It includes a number of work. What fuels one is ardour. I can proceed like this irrespective of how taxing it will get.”
Sharan just lately obtained into GQ journal’s record of best-dressed folks in 2022. He set to work with manufacturers resembling Netflix and Red Bull India as nicely.
“I believe I’ve one of the best life on earth,” he says. “Getting to do what I like making movies of my pals, and doing enjoyable actions with them for a dwelling is, certainly, a boon. I primarily get remuneration by Insta model collaborations. YouTube can also be one other supply of revenue.”
With inputs from Steni Simon
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