Pal: Social media influencers are playing a big role in India’s upcoming election

India is the world’s largest democracy and as the country gears up for its national elections in 2024, influencers are playing a critical role in shaping the elections. 

India’s influencer industry is expanding, and politicians are paying attention. Candidates are  eschewing traditional media and are increasingly hiring influencers to spread their message.  

University of Michigan School of Information associate professor Joyojeet Pal, an expert on the impact of social media in India, says influencers have a lot of power in swaying election results and determining who wins. He was interviewed for Wired. 

“Anyone who has a smartphone is getting [the influencers’] content, either as subscribers or forwards,” says Pal. “Nano- and micro-influencers are people you rely on. This person speaks your dialect, refers to local metaphors, and you trust them. There is a high chance you bump into them in your town.”

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Read “YouTube and Reels could decide India’s Elections” on Wired. 

Joyojeet Pal has published numerous papers on the critical role of social media in India. Read more about his research by visiting his UMSI faculty profile.