By Zubair Lone
On a cold February afternoon, Mohsin Mir, a 24-year-old content creator from Sopore, sat in a café scrolling through his phone, checking the engagement on his latest Instagram reel.
“Social media has given us a voice,” he said. “Earlier, we had to rely on traditional media, but now we can put out our own narratives, our own stories.”
For many young Kashmiris like Mir, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube are more than just sources of entertainment—they are spaces for political expression, cultural revival, and citizen journalism. But even as social media empowers individuals to share their realities, it has also amplified misinformation, turned personal struggles into viral content, and blurred the lines between journalism and digital spectacle.
One of the most troubling examples came a few days ago when a group of self-proclaimed “citizen journalists” filmed a mentally ill man in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, who had made a mini-Kaaba-like structure, asking him provocative questions for engagement. The video spread rapidly across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp, with users sharing and laughing at the man’s responses.
Local journalist Faizan Qureshi, who has covered media ethics in Kashmir, called it a “disturbing moment for digital journalism.”
“The story was there, but it wasn’t reporting. It was exploitation for views,” he said. “We have entered a phase where everyone with a smartphone thinks they are a journalist, but few understand the ethics that come with it.”
Jehangir Ali, a senior journalist, took to X to comment on this issue:
“What does it say about the mental state of the journalists who interview a mentally unstable person about how to perform Hajj and Umrah at his mini-Mecca?”
The rise of unregulated digital reporting has coincided with a decline in trust in mainstream media. With growing restrictions on traditional outlets, many young Kashmiris have turned to social media-based news pages for updates on local events. Some of these pages, run anonymously, break stories faster than newspapers or television channels. But speed often comes at the cost of verification.
Social media in Kashmir connects people and spreads information, creating a more informed society. However, it also fuels digital chaos, where trends can overshadow facts. While it mobilizes communities, it also spreads misinformation, posing challenges. Its impact depends on how it is used—either as a tool for awareness or a source of confusion.
“When something goes viral, it spreads fast, shaping opinions before facts are verified. People often accept trending narratives as truth without questioning their accuracy,” says journalist Sajid Raina.
“And if the information is misleading, it can ruin reputations, fuel conflicts, and mislead entire communities. A single false claim, amplified by shares and likes, can outweigh real facts. The question is—do we pause, verify, and think critically, or do we blindly trust what appears on our screens? In an age where perception often matters more than reality, the responsibility to seek the truth lies with us.”
But it’s not just misinformation that is shaping Kashmir’s digital landscape. Social media has also become a powerful tool for cultural expression. Over the past few years, young Kashmiri artists, musicians, and influencers have used Instagram and YouTube to showcase their work, reaching audiences beyond the valley.
Seerat Hafiz, a content creator from Srinagar, credits social media for giving her a platform she could never have imagined.
“Social media allows me to showcase to the world that a veil doesn’t obstruct anything—you can exist and have fun with it on. On my personal platform, I can be myself and express the voice of niqabis most importantly.”
“I record both at home and outdoors—no professional settings at this point. I also do things on a whim, however I feel like, so my content includes both seriousness and absolute fun,” she added.
At the same time, social media’s influence on Kashmiri culture has brought its own challenges. The obsession with virality has led to a rise in superficial content, with young influencers prioritizing trends over meaningful storytelling. Instagram reels and TikTok-style videos dominate, often overshadowing more serious discussions on issues that matter.
“It’s becoming a race for likes and shares,” said journalist Adil Sofi. “There’s a difference between creating content and creating noise.”
The political impact of social media in Kashmir is equally significant. With traditional campaigning changing, political parties have also embraced digital platforms to engage with voters, spread their messages, and counter narratives. During election seasons, Twitter hashtags trend within hours, while Instagram and Facebook are flooded with campaign reels.
However, this digital shift has also created new challenges, particularly in the form of online polarization. Social media algorithms push people into echo chambers, reinforcing their existing beliefs while making constructive debate nearly impossible.
“From one point of view, social media acts as a tool for empowerment, where social realities and issues are being highlighted and given voices. From another perspective, it’s distorting realities,” states media research scholar Azhar.
“Social media is a public sphere where anyone can share anything. But people with no media literacy accept everything that’s being shared. Such people are susceptible to being trapped in propaganda and in believing and sharing rumors.”
Despite these complexities, few in Kashmir would argue that social media hasn’t been transformative. It has provided a space for independent voices, enabled new business models, and created opportunities for artists and journalists.
But as the digital landscape evolves, the question remains: Is social media truly empowering Kashmir, or is it distorting its realities?
For Mir, who continues to build his audience online, the answer is somewhere in between. “Social media is a tool,” he said. “It depends on how we use it. If we don’t use it responsibly, we risk turning it into a mirror that reflects only what we want to see, not what actually is.”
- The author is an intern with Kashmir Observer
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