top of page

By:

Nilanjana Das

13 December 2025 at 2:23:37 pm

Creator Economy: Influence, Opportunity and Risk

Social media has the power to make or break an issue—and increasingly, it shapes how we think, shop and respond. The frenzy surrounding content creators has swept across the Indian digital ecosystem. Alongside this surge has come an ever-growing audience of consumers who absorb a constant stream of information, often without questioning its credibility or filtering what they consume. Immersed in an endless flow of content, many lose track of both time and context, consuming information...

Creator Economy: Influence, Opportunity and Risk

Social media has the power to make or break an issue—and increasingly, it shapes how we think, shop and respond. The frenzy surrounding content creators has swept across the Indian digital ecosystem. Alongside this surge has come an ever-growing audience of consumers who absorb a constant stream of information, often without questioning its credibility or filtering what they consume. Immersed in an endless flow of content, many lose track of both time and context, consuming information seamlessly and often unconsciously across platforms. We cannot escape the reality that social media has the power to make or break an issue. Much of our daily lives is increasingly shaped by the content we consume online, influencing everything from public opinion and purchasing decisions to cultural trends and political discourse. India's creator economy is experiencing unprecedented growth, evolving from a niche community of YouTubers and bloggers into a multi-billion-dollar ecosystem spanning sectors such as finance, gaming, beauty, food, fitness, travel, and entertainment. Driven by a young, digitally connected population and widespread access to affordable internet, creators have emerged as influential voices that shape consumer behaviour, often rivalling—or even surpassing—the impact of traditional advertising channels. Consequently, influencer partnerships have evolved from experimental marketing initiatives into a core pillar of brand strategy, delivering measurable business outcomes, stronger audience engagement, and impressive returns on investment. In today's highly competitive attention economy, content has emerged as one of the most valuable digital assets. Audiences are increasingly gravitating towards short-form, engaging videos that deliver information, entertainment, and opinions within seconds, prompting social media platforms to continuously evolve and adapt their offerings. Creators who can capture attention instantly and retain audience engagement hold immense value for brands seeking to connect with highly targeted audiences at scale. As consumers spend more time on digital platforms, authentic and relatable creator-led content often generates greater trust and engagement than conventional advertising. This transformation has positioned creator-led influence as one of the most impactful and effective forces shaping marketing strategies, consumer behaviour, and purchasing decisions in India today. The market for content creators is booming in India, with around 60 per cent of creators coming from Tier-2, Tier-3, and Tier-4 cities, highlighting the growing importance of regional and vernacular content. India's creator economy has evolved into a vast digital ecosystem with over 100 million creators, including approximately 2.5–4.4 million active digital creators who have more than 1,000 followers. Although it is a multi-billion-dollar industry, earnings remain concentrated among a small percentage of creators, making monetisation highly unequal. Creators can broadly be divided into three categories: active creators, nano creators, and micro creators. However, only 8–10 per cent of active creators earn a sustainable living from content creation. Most nano and micro creators earn about Rs 15,000–18,000 per month, often treating content creation as a side income. Macro creators can earn anywhere between Rs 50,000 and Rs 5 lakh or more per sponsored post, mainly through brand partnerships. Many creators are also moving beyond brand deals by registering businesses and launching their own products, reducing their dependence on sponsorships. The recent incident in which a content creator revealed her gold collection online eventually led to a theft at her residence. Madhya Pradesh YouTuber Rachna Gurjar was robbed of gold, silver, and cash worth Rs 8–10 lakh after frequently showcasing her jewellery on social media. Burglars reportedly used her videos to study the layout of the house before carrying out the crime. They disabled the CCTV cameras, locked the family in a room, and executed the heist. Social media is not always a safe space, and information shared online can easily be exploited by criminals. As the creator economy continues to grow, creators must exercise greater restraint in what they share, while consumers must apply critical thinking rather than scroll mindlessly. (The writer is a media professional and a Research Associate with IIM, Shilong. Views personal.)

Caste-based Census Sparks Nationwide Debate

Updated: Oct 22, 2024

Caste-based Census

Caste-based identities continue to dominate rural India, directly or indirectly shaping electoral outcomes. Many major elections are influenced by specific caste groups. After the Bihar government released the first phase of its caste-based socio-economic survey, the caste census became a hot topic. The results, backed by evidence, showed improvements in the living standards and social status of marginalised communities, both in cities and villages. With parties like the JDU and NCP backing a caste census, there is growing momentum for the government to conduct one. However, every story has two sides—joy and sorrow. Even Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, raised concerns about the caste census.

Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of being “anti-Bahujan.” The clear meaning is that his father and forefather refused to execute a caste-based census, which might have far-reaching effects and even permanently fracture India’s social fabric. This may be negative for caste-based beneficiaries. The last caste census in India was conducted in 1931 by the British government. Those times were different from the present scenario. The data was made public and became the basis for the Mandal Commission Reports and reservation policies for Other Backward Classes. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has clarified that the caste-based population count data will not be used for core politics. But the agenda for politics is always twisted and expanded.

The Central Government also joined the legal debate by filing an affidavit with the Supreme Court, leaving the matter unresolved. India’s partition, rooted in the divide-and-rule strategy, is frequently cited as a cautionary tale. Including caste in official census data could further deepen social divides. This issue has become a political pressure point, with various states pushing the Centre for action. Although the Constitution uses the term “class” instead of “caste,” the Supreme Court has consistently ruled that caste is a relevant, and at times, sole or dominant criterion for defining a backward class.

After the release of caste-based census data in Bihar, discussions around conducting similar censuses have gained momentum in states like Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand. Karnataka, which has already conducted its own caste census, may release its data soon as well.

Notably, all these states are governed by anti-BJP parties. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also announced that Congress-ruled states have committed to carrying out caste censuses. Meanwhile, the BJP has remained silent on the matter, creating a significant roadblock.

Caste-based censuses focus on proportional representation in areas like jobs and education, with the argument that this will aid in targeted planning for the disadvantaged. However, the situation remains unclear, much like a foggy winter morning. The BJP’s stance on caste-based censuses and reservations seems different, as they fear the caste-based calculations could fragment their traditional Hindu voter base—an underlying concern for the party.

Professor Sanjay Kumar from The Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, says, “Let alone the BJP; no party can openly oppose it; it is not free from danger. BJP gets a large number of votes from the OBC community, their population across the country would be around 52%. Another downside is that the caste-based censuses could disrupt the balance of socio-economic zones. Data theft is a common issue in government systems, and people may feel disconnected from their actual rights.

The moot question is that if the financial status of an ST/SC/OBC or Dalit citizen moves up by a few notches, will his social status change automatically? The lifestyle of any class will only change when the income of a particular class is changed. The actual source of income is employment. The reality is that only metro cities have enough place and space for workers. Aside from the GIDC and IT sectors, less than 30% of industries have their own designated vacancy periods. After a decade, the Jamnagar and Rajkot Corporations have opened their doors to newcomers alongside experienced staff. However, age and caste bias often operate behind the scenes. It’s important to recognise that poverty is also widespread among many upper-caste individuals, and their needs cannot be overlooked. In the overall interests of the nation, terms like SC/ST/OBC, Dalits, etc. must be deleted from the nation’s vocabulary. Every citizen should have only one classification, that of being an ‘Indian’, in the spirit of the constitution.

Last year, when the Bihar government decided to conduct a caste survey in the state, the BJP was also Nitish Kumar’s partner in the state government, and it supported it. Political expert and former professor of Tata Institute of Social Science, Pushpendra Kumar, says, “It is not that the BJP does not talk about caste. It tries to reveal the caste of the Prime Minister as well. For caste politics, the BJP also tried hard to raise the issue of Pasmanda Muslims.”

(The writer is a management professional based in Ahmedabad. Views personal.)

Comments

bottom of page