These days, social media is being criticised for getting too toxic, adversely affecting the mental health of individuals, both celebrities and common people alike, and becoming a breeding ground for unnecessary hate.

While all of the above are a hundred per cent true, there have been moments when Indians came together and used the ever-evolving internet for a greatest cause to show support towards someone who truly deserves it.

Here are five times when the Indian social media showed how powerful & influencing it can be when needed:

1.  CBI Probe For Sushant Singh Rajput’s Case

Supreme Court directs CBI to investigate Sushant Singh Rajput’s death. Truth must prevail. #CBITakesOver

— Manoj Joshi (@actormanojjoshi) August 19, 2020

When the news of actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death first broke, people from all over the country were in disbelief. The story of such a talented, A-lister, taking his own life didn’t quite make sense. 

Unlike many other movements related to a social cause that lost momentum within a couple of weeks since the incident, Indian social media continued to demand a CBI probe in this case. Finally, on Wednesday, the Indian Supreme Court validated the ongoing CBI investigation recommended by the Bihar government.

2. Gaurav Taneja’s Fight Against AirAsia’s Safety Violation

Today I have been officially suspended from @AirAsiaIndian for standing up for safe operations of an aircraft and its passengers.@AwakenIndia #SabkeLiye

— Gaurav Taneja (@flyingbeast320) June 14, 2020

In June 2020, AirAsia sacked whistleblower pilot and YouTuber Gaurav Taneja who had alleged violations of safety norms by the low-cost airlines. 

Taneja had tweeted that he was being suspended "for standing up for safe operations of an aircraft and its passengers".  

Capt Manish Uppal and Mukesh Neema from @AirAsiaIndian are suspended by @DGCAIndia for safety violations and risking people lives for profits.
All the “safety experts” who were acting as PR agents of @AirAsiaIndian , you are caught with your pants down. #AirAsiaIsUnsafe

— Gaurav Taneja (@flyingbeast320) August 10, 2020

After two months of Taneja’s battle against the airline, raising awareness about the issues that were being brushed under the carpet and publicising cases and allegations towards their potential safety hazards on YouTube, Twitter and Instagram, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) suspended two senior executives of AirAsia India for a period of three months over "safety violations". 

3.   The Anti-Nepotism Movement

#VarunDhawan
No matter what happened Boycott means boycott have no res6foe this Nepotism and Bollywood . pic.twitter.com/JSszqGbbVA

— SushantSignRajput (@sushantsignrajp) August 14, 2020

While the problem of Nepotism in various industries has been rampant and every once in a while, someone would talk about it on the internet, the death of Sushant Singh Rajput also led to the anti-nepotism movement, specifically in the Indian film industry.

From boycotting movies full of star kids to highlighting some of the great talents who didn’t come from a family of actors nor had a godfather in the industry, the Indian social media brought about a massive change in the way we used to watch Bollywood movies.

Also Read: 5 Actors From Bihar Who Conquered Bollywood With Nothing But Pure Talent

4.  The ‘Made in China’ Boycott

BCCI officially suspends title sponsorship deal with Vivo for #IPL2020https://t.co/atK3VpnIoJ pic.twitter.com/RineZ1IHq7

— Times Now Sports (@timesnowsports) August 6, 2020

Ever since the brutal clash between the Indian and Chinese forces in Galwan Valley, Indian citizens have relentlessly promoted the idea of using Indian products and services while moving away from consuming goods that have been made in China.

From the Indian Premier League suspending Chinese technological company VIVO as their brand for the season to a significant drop in Chinese smartphone share in the country, the boycott seems to be working. 

5. Protest Against Exams During COVID: 

Are NEET and JEE exams getting postponed? While everyone is required to stay home and work, why to put student life at risk and not wait for situation to get a bit normal?

— Bhuvan Bam (@Bhuvan_Bam) August 20, 2020

One of the recent issues being discussed online is the need to postpone competitive examinations under the extreme conditions caused due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Exams like JEE and NEET decide a person’s future. To put the health of the students at risk certainly isn’t the way forward.

Request to postpone the JEE & NEET exams by the majority of the students is not merely an excuse but the genuine call in current scenario to avoid COVID-19 risks! #postponejeeneet

— Ajey Nagar (@CarryMinati) August 20, 2020

This is not an excuse to skip the hard work that goes into preparing for such examinations but a genuine concern keeping in mind the state of affairs in the country, the pandemic and the high-risk factor that comes along with it.  

While nothing has been decided yet for sure, based on the evidence shared about, the true strength of Indian social media must prevail this time as well.

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