Bharat under Siege: The Obscene Material Flood on Social Media Owned by Tech Giants

Introduction

Bharat, the timeless name for our nation, is now a digital powerhouse with nearly 970 million internet users in 2024, one of the largest online populations globally. Social media platforms like X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and WhatsApp, owned by American tech giants, are deeply woven into daily life for communication, entertainment, and sharing. However, these platforms have become channels for a troubling wave of obscene material including explicit content, vulgar language, and harmful visuals that floods Bharatiya screens. This content, often unregulated or poorly moderated, clashes with Bharat’s cultural values and exploits its diverse society. Tech giants profit from user engagement while sidestepping responsibility, creating a digital siege that’s rarely discussed openly despite its damaging impact.

The Spread of Obscene Content

Obscene material on social media is rampant and takes many forms: explicit images and videos, degrading language, and content promoting violence or harmful stereotypes. These platforms, designed to keep users hooked, use algorithms that prioritize sensational or provocative posts to boost engagement. For instance, YouTube and Instagram often recommend videos with suggestive thumbnails or titles, even to young users, because they drive clicks. In Bharat, where smartphone penetration is high but digital literacy varies, such content spreads quickly, especially among impressionable youth.

Tech giants like Meta and Google claim to moderate content, but their efforts are inconsistent. In 2023, reports highlighted how Instagram failed to remove thousands of explicit posts despite user complaints.[1] The sheer volume of uploads overwhelms moderation teams, which are often understaffed or rely on AI tools that struggle with Bharat’s linguistic and cultural diversity. Content in regional languages like Hindi, Tamil, or Bengali slips through, as moderation focuses heavily on English. This negligence allows obscene material to thrive, turning platforms into virtual free-for-alls. Although it is blamed on diversity of Bharat, but fact is that these tech giants don’t want to moderate such content as they are engaging and earn revenue for platform and creators. Hence the tech giants owning any kind of internet platform and giving place for obscene material shall be held liable and shall be fined with huge amount.

Cultural and Social Harm

The flood of obscene content is a direct assault on Bharat’s cultural ethos, which values modesty, family, and respect. Explicit material erodes traditional norms, especially in rural areas where digital access is new and unchecked. It normalizes vulgarity, objectifies individuals, and fuels unhealthy expectations, particularly among teenagers. Studies from 2022 showed rising exposure to online explicit content correlating with increased risky behaviors among Bharatiya youth.[2]

Beyond cultural erosion, this content stokes social tensions. Obscene posts often overlap with divisive material such as misogynistic comments, caste-based slurs, or religiously inflammatory visuals, etc. amplifying harm in Bharat’s diverse society. Yet, tech giants prioritize profits over prevention. Their business model thrives on user time spent, even if it means hosting harmful content.[3] This exploitation feels obscene not just for the content but for the callous disregard of its impact on Bharat’s social fabric.

Why the Silence Persists

Despite the clear harm, the issue gets little attention. Bharat’s digital boom, driven by initiatives like Digital India, focuses on growth and access, overshadowing content concerns. Mainstream media, dependent on ad revenue from these tech giants, rarely critiques them. Many urban elites view social media as a marker of modernity, dismissing concerns as outdated moralizing. Globally, the narrative frames unrestricted platforms as “free speech” champions, making regulation seem like censorship.

Tech giants also deflect blame, pointing to user-generated content or claiming moderation is improving. Yet, their opaque algorithms and minimal investment in Bharat-specific solutions reveal their priorities. The lack of public outcry allows this digital siege to continue unchecked.

Reclaiming Digital Dignity

Bharat can fight back to restore its digital space. The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, fully enforced by November 2025, empowers users with rights over their data and could extend to demand better content oversight.[4] The government’s 2021 IT Rules already require platforms to remove obscene content swiftly,[5] but enforcement must strengthen. Fines, like those imposed on Google in 2024 for non-compliance, signal growing resolve.

Bharat’s IndiaAI Mission, backed by over Rs 10,000 crore, aims to build local tech capacity. Developing home-grown platforms or AI moderation tools tailored to Bharatiya languages and values could reduce reliance on foreign giants.[6] Public awareness campaigns can boost digital literacy, teaching users to report harmful content. Collaboration with like-minded nations can push for global standards holding tech giants accountable.

Conclusion

Bharat faces a digital siege from the unchecked spread of obscene material on social media owned by tech giants. This flood of explicit and harmful content threatens cultural values, social harmony, and vulnerable users while foreign companies profit. The silence around this crisis must end. By enforcing strict regulations, building local solutions, and raising awareness, India can reclaim its digital dignity. The time to act is now, before this obscene invasion reshapes Bharat’s soul in ways that are hard to undo.

[1] Meta’s Broken Promises, Human Right Watch, https://www.hrw.org/report/2023/12/21/metas-broken-promises/systemic-censorship-palestine-content-instagram-and

[2] Is it time for India to set social media age limits for adolescents?, National Library of Medicine, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11964175/

[3] It’s the Business Model, Ranking Digital Rights, https://rankingdigitalrights.org/its-the-business-model/

[4] The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, https://www.meity.gov.in/static/uploads/2024/06/2bf1f0e9f04e6fb4f8fef35e82c42aa5.pdf

[5] From Social Media to OTT Platforms: Government Enforces Strict Accountability to Curb Obscenity, Misinformation and Cyber Offences Online, PIB, https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2205140&reg=3&lang=1

[6] Transforming India with AI, PIB, https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2178092&reg=3&lang=2

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