Generation Z, Social Media, and Algorithmic Power

Abstract

This article examines the rise of India's Generation Z movement through the case of the Cockroach Janata Party and argues that its rapid expansion cannot be understood without considering the political power of social-media algorithms. It traces how changes in Instagram's recommendation system after 2024 enabled a new and previously unknown account to reach millions of users without an established follower base, media network, or political organisation. The article contends that the same algorithmic system that amplifies a movement can also render it nearly invisible by reducing its reach without deleting posts or formally suspending accounts. Drawing on examples from Vietnam, Turkey, China, the United States, and India, it shows how governments and technology companies have used content moderation, throttling, recommendation policies, and regulatory pressure to shape political visibility. It further examines the relationship between Meta's commercial interests, state power, and the uneven enforcement of platform policies in India. The article concludes that movements built primarily on private digital platforms remain structurally vulnerable because their access to supporters depends on corporate-controlled systems. It therefore argues that social movements must develop independent communication networks—including websites, email lists, consent-based phone databases, and decentralised organisational structures—alongside their continued use of social media.