BEHIND THE SCREEN
Once famed for its poetic charm, breath-taking beauty, and cultural depth, the Kashmir Valley now finds itself grappling with an unexpected and rather unsettling phenomenon—the creeping rise of vulgarity on social media, particularly among its youth.
Scroll through Instagram reels, Facebook shorts, or YouTube clips from the Valley, and you’ll likely stumble upon videos that raise more eyebrows than appreciation. In a region known for its grace and tradition, this silent digital drift is becoming a pressing social concern. While social media is an incredible tool for expression, it’s increasingly being misused to seek attention through cheap thrills and tasteless trends.
What Exactly Is Vulgarity on Social Media?
Vulgarity doesn’t always mean explicit nudity or foul language. It comes in many shades—suggestive dancing, mocking others, indecent dressing, aggressive language, or behaviour that challenges the modesty and values that Kashmiri society holds dear. Sadly, such content is often wrapped in the disguise of “fun” or “creativity.” And who’s creating it? Worryingly, it’s often teenagers, even school-goers, chasing fleeting online fame with little awareness of the long-term consequences.
Why Is This Happening? A Look beneath the Surface
- Unsupervised Digital Freedom: Smartphones are in the hands of children as young as ten, with parents unaware of the digital playgrounds their kids are frequenting. With unlimited access and minimal guidance, the internet becomes a risky free-for-all.
- Fame Over Values: Social validation has taken a new form—likes, views, comments, and shares. The desire to go viral pushes young people to cross lines they’d never consider in real life.
- The Copycat Syndrome: Influencers and celebrities flaunting bold, westernised lifestyles often become role models. Young minds, eager to imitate and impress, end up adopting trends that are miles apart from their own culture.
- Lack of Purposeful Platforms: The Valley is bursting with raw talent—storytellers, singers, thinkers—but there’s a vacuum when it comes to encouraging meaningful creativity. In the absence of such outlets, children settle for what gets instant attention.
The Domino Effect: How it’s affecting the Valley
- Cultural Erosion: The charm of Kashmiri culture—its respectful tone, modest attire, and poetic soul—is being buried under flashy, cringe-worthy content that glorifies shallowness.
- Mental Health Crisis: When self-worth becomes dependent on digital approval, disappointment is inevitable. Many young creators suffer from anxiety, stress, and self-doubt, though they hide behind a smiling screen.
- Cyber Exploitation: From trolling to blackmail, once a young person posts suggestive content, they become vulnerable to a range of online threats, some of which spill over into real life.
- Academic and Personal Decline: Hours wasted on scripting, recording, and editing meaningless content eat into time meant for studies, real hobbies, or family interaction. Over time, this leads to poor academic performance and strained relationships.
- Damage to Reputation: One bad video can ruin a young person’s public image forever. And in a close-knit society like Kashmir, reputational damage affects not just individuals but entire families.
We Are Also Responsible: Stop Promoting the Wrong Content
It’s not just the content creators who are at fault—we, the viewers, carry equal responsibility. Every like, comment, and share fuels the fire. We cannot criticise this trend on one hand and then secretly enjoy or circulate such videos on the other.
If we truly want to be part of the solution, we must:
- Avoid liking, commenting, or forwarding inappropriate videos.
- Use the “report” button where necessary—every platform provides it.
- Discourage others—especially children—from engaging with such content.
As the old saying goes: “What you feed, grows.” If we stop feeding vulgarity, it will wither away.
What Can Parents and Teachers Do?
For Parents:
- Keep screens in common areas—no late-night scrolling under the blanket.
- Regularly check your child’s browsing history and social media activity.
- Have open, judgment-free conversations about online behaviour.
For Schools and Teachers:
- Introduce digital literacy and media ethics as part of the curriculum.
- Organise workshops on safe and responsible internet use.
- Offer platforms for students to showcase real talents—debates, poetry slams, local history projects, etc.
Community Action: From Condemnation to Correction
- Empower the Positive Influencers: Highlight and support those Kashmiri youth using social media to spread awareness, share knowledge, or showcase cultural heritage.
- Involve Religious and Cultural Elders: Community leaders can play a vital role in educating the youth without alienating them. A kind word from an elder often carries more weight than a lecture.
- Offer Creative Alternatives: Encourage children to make videos about Kashmir’s beauty, folklore, environment, and literature. Give them purpose, and their content will naturally rise in quality.
- Parental Awareness Sessions: Many parents don’t know what’s happening online. Organising digital literacy camps for them is just as important as for their children.
The Youth Must Lead the Change
At the end of the day, the youth of Kashmir have the final say in what they choose to post, watch, and share.
The same social media that’s been used to spread vulgarity can also be a powerful tool for progress:
- Start campaigns for positive content.
- Create series that educate and uplift.
- Collaborate with artists, poets, and thinkers to make something that makes people proud, not ashamed.
- The most viral thing in the world isn’t a trend—it’s purpose.
Conclusion
What’s happening on social media in the Valley isn’t just a phase—it’s a mirror to deeper societal changes. If left unchecked, this casual vulgarity could have long-lasting consequences on culture, character, and community.
Kashmir is too rich in beauty and brilliance to settle for digital noise. Let’s inspire our youth to rise above the clutter, find their voice, and use it wisely. Because in a world full of noise; truth, talent, and tradition will always be timeless.
(Author is Columnist, Educator and Advocate holding qualification in B.A.LLB, LLM (Criminal laws), Diploma in consumer laws, Diploma in cyber Laws and can be reached at: [email protected])
