Unpacking the impact of the TikTok ban on local content creators and the rise of Indianized social media apps.

Abstract

This paper investigates the repercussions of the TikTok ban in 2020 and the subsequent migration of local content creators to alternative platforms, with a particular focus on the identity negotiation of the marginalized LGBTQIA+ community. The author positions this paper as an exploration of the displacement experienced by rural young queers in expressing their queerness following the ban. TikTok was a platform that transcended class barriers and provided an equal platform for socioeconomically diverse users. However, its ban led to the emergence of Indianized social media apps that have further segregated the classes. The author argues that this phenomenon requires academic attention because the rise of these Indian apps coincides with the overshadowing of right-wing populism. By exploring these complex dynamics, this paper contributes to the understanding of the impact of digital media on the social fabric of contemporary India.