How Smartphones Quietly Changed Indian Politics | Herjinder Singh Sahni | The Literature Lounge
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About This Podcast
In this episode of The Literature Lounge, journalist and author Herjinder Singh Sahni unpacks how technology quietly rewired Indian politics — long before most of us realised what was happening.
Through a sharp, deeply observed conversation, Herjinder traces his early encounters with the Anna Movement, street protests, and newsroom reporting — moments when he first sensed that smartphones were doing something more than just connecting people.
He also explains how mobile phones, WhatsApp, and big data transformed campaigning into an industry of persuasion — one built on voter profiling, micro-targeting, and personalised messaging. He explains how backroom strategists replaced ground workers, voters began receiving different truths, and WhatsApp emerged as the least regulated force in Indian elections.
A conversation about power without faces, politics without streets, and why the most consequential campaigns now happen quietly — inside your phone.
What this episode is REALLY about
Not social media as neutral tools.
Not technology as progress alone.
Not elections as public spectacle.
It’s about:
- How smartphones changed political mobilisation
- WhatsApp as the real battlefield of elections
- Big data, voter profiling, and personalised persuasion
- Digital polarisation and shrinking political plurality
- How misinformation scaled faster than regulation
- From pamphlet propaganda to algorithmic influence
If you’ve ever wondered how political messages reach you or how democracy is being reshaped without public consent, this episode will change how you look at your phone.
Episode Timeline
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