Racism against Indians online: Fading into the background

Going on Instagram to scroll mindlessly through reels has lost all meaning. The first time I noticed racism online, it was on a culinary video – an Indian chef was demonstrating a curry recipe, shot in a restaurant kitchen. I expected the comments to be expressing interest and fascination in trying out this recipe but they were nowhere to be found. Instead, it was a tempest of people expressing their surprise about an Indian person eloquently talking through a recipe in English and their shock that the restaurant kitchen was following regular food safety and hygiene protocol.

In the end, videos that could remind me of home have become videos that have me question where ‘home’ truly is

It was not just the mere presence of these micro-aggressions, through entirely backhanded compliments, but also its presence in a benign recipe video which was troubling. Unfortunately, that was just the beginning. After that experience, digital detoxes and purposely training the social media algorithm to show fewer videos depicting Indian culture have become a necessity. In the end, videos that could remind me of home have become videos that have me question where ‘home’ truly is.

Exploring this worrying prevalence and normalcy of anti-Indian sentiment was the natural next step. However, it was difficult to find anything published about this in major international media publications. Perplexing indeed, that the world was not blowing up over hateful sentiments against one of the most populous communities.

When met with controversy, he proceeded to double-down, writing “believe it or not, I just don’t like India,” somehow chalking down a racist and xenophobic statement to an opinion

A travel vlogger based in the UK was met with outrage last year for expressing hateful and vitriolic statements against India. After initially imagining himself becoming Prime Minister, he suggested in a now-deleted tweet that he might “launch at India just for the sake of it”. When met with controversy, he proceeded to double-down, writing “believe it or not, I just don’t like India,” somehow chalking down a racist and xenophobic statement to an opinion.

Another travel vlogger based in the US has been criticised by Indian-American YouTuber and video-essay creator, Saji Sharma, for spreading misinformation and negative sentiment against India. Visiting the YouTube channel in question and sorting by ‘most popular’ results in a video titled, ‘India Sucks! Don’t Ever Come Here’ with 5.9 million views. Close behind in this race, with 3.1 million views is ‘How Long Till I Get Food Poisoning In India? (not long)’.

Whether these examples are mongering outrage for views and attention (or rage-bait) is worth pondering upon. Shaming Indian and South Asian communities, despite not being contested enough, garners influencers a pool of views. The positive or negative quality of this engagement does not supersede the number of views and comments. At the end of the day, it is all a matter of engagement, and unfortunately, this content will inevitably be engaged with because of the shock and hate it generates. It is without a doubt that this content contributes towards anti-Indian sentiment. However, adding to the harm, it is also based om ignorance and bigotry.

Business Standard revealed last month that income inequality in 2023 was higher than that in 1955. As a country deeply affected by poverty and pollution, access to clean water, sanitation, food, and shelter is sparse for those with a lower economic status. In 2017, it was shown that in India, the richest 1% holds 73% of the generated wealth.

One of the most common sources of anti-Indian sentiment online appears to stem from food-related content. Chiefly, videos showing street-food stalls operated by daily-wage labourers who regularly face the threat of being shut down due to not being registered with the government, and concerns surrounding food hygiene. It does seem clear that streetside food vendors lack the resources and funds to facilitate reliable hygiene practices. Why this criticism is applied and directed towards the population affected by poverty and not towards the government remains unclear, however.

Despite a rise in hate crimes against South Asian communities (reported to have spiked in Canada by 143% between 2019 and 2022), police reports in cities, such as Windsor are sparse. An international student expressed concern over their image being damaged if they spoke out or challenged these sentiments

This sets up an extremely worrying context for the aforementioned travel vloggers. Not only is the content rooted in bigotry but it is also based on misinformation. Influencers capable of gathering views to the tune of six million could be making informative content about income equality, and poverty, and challenging hateful sentiments. Instead, the choice ends up using videos to negatively represent a part of the Indian population which is already adversely affected.

In a recent Times of India article, author Amit Majumdar refers to this targeted hatred as a “global sport”. In Canada, Indian immigrants are facing a rise in online racism due to issues surrounding housing and economic pressure. Despite a rise in hate crimes against South Asian communities (reported to have spiked in Canada by 143% between 2019 and 2022), police reports in cities, such as Windsor are sparse. An international student expressed concern over their image being damaged if they spoke out or challenged these sentiments.

During Diwali 2024, a video featuring the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan showcasing Diwali celebrations in London was met with a slew of hateful comments. On a re-post of this video, comments like “Deport button please” and “The UK [sic] is CHRISTIAN. Celebrate Christian holidays” have gathered hundreds of likes.

Through the prevalence of these examples, it becomes hard to deny a very dangerous and concerning notion. Amidst the travel videos, internet hate, and lack of discussion of the same, what is being spelt out is a lack of concern. That hate against Indian and South Asian communities is commonplace to the point of predictability. The truth is when I go on Instagram to mindlessly scroll through reels, I am expecting to come across a video that ridicules Indian and South Asian communities. It isn’t anger that I feel when I come across a video featuring Indian international students dancing to a Bollywood song at a house party and the top comment reads, “imagine the smell”, it is a disappointment.

In the end, though, it is far simpler to adopt a defeatist approach. To accept a culture that, albeit harmful, has faded into the background. However, bringing attention is always worth the effort. Scrolling through social media and disregarding the mass majority of the outlandish comments we see is undoubtedly an act of self-preservation. Challenging it, on the other hand, is much more difficult, and as a result, all the more necessary.