u/YogurtclosetBorn405

I’ve been thinking about this for a while. A lot of the problems we constantly see online, like unchecked racism, harassment, hate campaigns and algorithms promoting outrage, are partly because so much of social media is controlled by a handful of platforms.

Reddit, Instagram, X, TikTok and YouTube are all massive global platforms, but India has more than 1.4 billion people and one of the largest internet populations in the world. Yet we mostly use platforms that were built outside India, with moderation systems and policies that may not always understand the needs of Indian users.

So why haven’t we seen a serious attempt to build an Indian social media platform that is actually designed for the global market?

I’m not talking about another small app that is popular in India for a few years. I mean something genuinely competitive with TikTok or Instagram, built in India but open to the rest of the world.

It could support multiple languages, have better systems for dealing with harassment and racism, and give users another major platform instead of having to rely on the same few companies.

Obviously building something at the scale of TikTok is extremely difficult. You need huge amounts of funding, infrastructure, creators and users. The network effect is also a massive problem because people don’t want to join a platform where nobody they know is using it.

But India has the population, technical talent and potential user base to at least attempt something this ambitious.

Douyin became massively popular in China, and ByteDance eventually took that concept globally with TikTok. Now TikTok is used by people all over the world. It’s interesting that a Chinese company was able to build a platform that became such a huge part of global social media.

So why hasn’t an Indian company attempted something similar? I am sure plenty of companies and engineers in India would be interested

Hey everyone,

r/StopAntiIndianHate is still a small community, but I'm hoping to grow it into a place where Indians can feel heard, supported, and respected.

I created this subreddit because I've seen how common anti Indian racism has become online. My goal isn't to spread hate or create division. I want people to know that this kind of behaviour isn't normal, shouldn't be accepted, and can be discussed respectfully while supporting those affected.

As the community grows, I can't manage everything alone, so I'm looking for around 5 mods who believe in this vision and want to help build something meaningful from the ground up.

You don't need previous moderation experience. I'm simply looking for people who are kind, fair, respectful, and willing to learn. I'd especially love people who have ideas for growing the community, improving discussions, and making this a welcoming space for everyone participating in good faith.

If you'd like to help build r/StopAntiIndianHate and be part of its journey, I'd love to hear from you.

📝 Moderator Application: https://www.reddit.com/r/StopAntiIndianHate/application/

Thank you to everyone who's joined and supported this community so far. Every member, post, and discussion helps us move one step closer to building a positive space where Indians know they are not alone and where respectful conversations can make a real difference. 🤍

All the info is available in the application, but if you have questions, just reach out via Mod Mail.

Thanks!

I have been seeing so many racist comment and videos towards indian women claiming how they are the most least attractive race etc etc

How is it in real life ?

long post ahead

Some days it genuinely feels like I'm carrying two things the world has already decided to judge me for before I even open my mouth. Everywhere I look online, I see jokes, stereotypes, insults, and people treating Indians like we're somehow less worthy of basic respect. Sometimes it even feels like people from other marginalized groups or developing countries join in too, as if we're the one group it's still acceptable to mock.

It's heartbreaking because I never chose where I was born. None of us do.

I don't want special treatment. I don't want pity. I just want to be seen as a human being instead of a stereotype. I want people to judge me by my character, not my nationality, my skin color, or my features.

I genuinely thought racism was something humanity was leaving behind.

I grew up believing that once slavery, segregation, apartheid, and discriminatory laws were abolished, society would eventually move toward treating everyone equally. On paper, most countries have equality laws. Discrimination is illegal.

But laws don't automatically change people's attitudes.

What shocks me is how socially acceptable it's becoming to openly hate Indians. People make racist jokes, mock our appearance, insult our accents, stereotype us, and dismiss an entire ethnicity, and so often it's brushed off as "just a joke" or "just a preference."

That's the part that scares me.

I don't see this getting better anytime soon. If anything, the hatred feels like it's becoming more open and more normalized online. It feels like people are becoming less afraid of saying these things publicly because they know they'll be supported instead of challenged.

I really hope I'm wrong.

Because the thought that the next generation of Indian kids could grow up seeing even more hatred than we do today is genuinely heartbreaking.

Living with insecurity about your appearance is already exhausting. Feeling like your ethnicity is another reason people will dismiss you before they know you can make that loneliness feel unbearable.

No one should have to feel ashamed of the country they were born in. No one should have to wonder whether they'll be hated simply because they're Indian.

I've always dreamed of visiting countries like Korea, Japan, and South America. I used to love watching K dramas, following foreign creators, and learning about different cultures. It made me excited to see the world.

But now it's different.

Now every time I enjoy someone's content, there's always a voice in the back of my mind asking, "If this person knew I was Indian, would they still respect me?"

Recently, I came across the Instagram account of a handsome influencer who mostly posted normal lifestyle videos. I'd been following him for a while until I saw an Indian girl comment that he was handsome.

His reply was, "Thank you, but respectfully, I don't want to date an Indian."

That one sentence genuinely broke my heart.

I know people will say it's just a preference. But how do you have a preference against an entire race of over a billion people you've never met?

At that point, it doesn't feel like you're judging individuals anymore. It feels like you've already decided what an entire group of people is worth before getting to know a single one of them.

What hurts even more is how socially acceptable these comments have become when they're directed at Indians. People laugh, agree, and move on as if there's nothing wrong with it.

Imagine constantly wondering whether someone genuinely sees you as an equal or whether they've already decided they could never see you as worthy simply because of where you were born.

I've reached a point where I can't even enjoy the cultures I once admired without wondering if the people there secretly look down on Indians too.

Being insecure about your appearance is already painful.

Feeling like your nationality is another reason people will reject you before they even know your name is a completely different kind of heartbreak.

I didn't choose to be born Indian.

I just wish that fact alone didn't make me question whether I'll ever be seen as an equal human being.

Lately, all I do is wake up wishing I had been born a different race.

I hate that my mind has even reached this point.

Imagine not having to think twice before opening Reddit, Instagram, or Twitter. Imagine scrolling without wondering when the next comment calling Indians ugly, dirty, creepy, or undesirable is going to show up.

I miss when I could just enjoy things.

Now every racist comment feels personal.

It doesn't matter if I'm pretty. It doesn't matter if I'm smart. It doesn't matter if I work hard or treat people with kindness. Sometimes it feels like none of that matters because the moment people find out I'm Indian, they've already made up their mind about me.

Being Indian just feels like a disadvantage sometimes.

People make fun of our accents while other accents are called attractive.

People trash our features and then call it "just a preference."

People openly say they would never date Indians, and everyone acts like that's completely normal.

After seeing this stuff over and over again, you start wondering if anyone actually sees you as an equal. You start questioning whether the people whose content you enjoy secretly think the same way too.

That's the part that hurts the most.

I used to dream about traveling the world and experiencing different cultures. Now I catch myself wondering if I'd just be another Indian they look down on.

I know not everyone thinks this way.

But when you're constantly surrounded by comments like these, they slowly get into your head until one day you wake up wishing you had just been born as someone else

How Different would my life be if was from a different nation and had just average looks?

I have been waiting to book imax for odyssey on thursday yet the booking is still not open . when it open ?

Seeing cities like Tokyo, New York, and London always makes me dream of living in a beautiful, modern city filled with skyscrapers. I imagine waking up every day to clean air, smooth traffic, well planned streets, and so many amazing places to explore. It just seems like such a peaceful and exciting way to live.

I really hope Chennai reaches that level someday. It would be incredible to have a city that's clean, organised, and world-class while still keeping its own unique charm.

The racism is too much for me .there is no corner of platform where I can go without a hearing a slur or gross stuff about us .

It has affected me so much that I am barely happy to wake up any more

indians are hated both online and offline

I can't live in my country, I can not travel I cannot immigrate nor do anything cus I am a indian

I am inherently inferior, bad ,uncivilized , poor and just a disgrace to humanity

The worst part is even if this anti Indian hate goes away in a couple year ( i don't think it will) I will always be reminded at one point of my life

.that it was accepted to hate on Indians and india and there would be no pushback .

However, one thing that has been on my mind is how I might be treated as a visibly dark brown Indian woman. I know every country has both kind and prejudiced people, but I'm wondering what the reality is like in South Korea.

How common is discrimination toward darker-skinned foreigners? Is it something that happens only occasionally, or is it something I would have to deal with regularly? Would my skin color or ethnicity affect me?

I'm also curious about making friends. Are Koreans generally open to becoming friends with foreigners, especially Indians

I also wouldn't describe myself as exceptionally attractive.I think I'm just an average-looking person. I'm wondering whether that, combined with being a dark skinned Indian woman, would noticeably affect how people interact with me socially or professionally.

I'd appreciate hearing both the positive and negative aspects so I can have realistic expectations before making such a big life decision.

Long post ahead

Has anyone else felt like online hate slowly changed how they see themselves?

One of my biggest dreams has always been to travel the world.

I wanted to experience different cultures, learn new languages, meet people from different backgrounds, and maybe even settle abroad one day. It used to be something I was genuinely excited about.

Now, whenever I imagine doing those things, I don't feel excitement anymore. I wonder whether people will judge me before they even know me simply because I'm Indian.

That realization hurts more than I can explain.

A big reason for that is the way India is constantly portrayed online.

I understand that India has serious problems. Poverty, poor sanitation, overcrowding, pollution, corruption, and inequality are all real issues that deserve criticism.

But what I don't understand is why those problems are so often used to dehumanize Indians as people.

I've seen countless travel videos where creators seem more interested in finding the poorest or dirtiest places than actually understanding the country. The comments are filled with people saying they're grateful they weren't born here, calling Indians disgusting, or acting as though an entire population can be judged by its worst conditions.

Being born in a developing country isn't a personal failure. None of us chooses where we're born, our ethnicity, or our skin color.

The same thing happens whenever racism against Indians is discussed. Instead of acknowledging it, people immediately bring up crime statistics or the actions of terrible individuals, as if that somehow justifies prejudice.

Countless videos of people who are mixed Indians saying they are too ashamed to say they are part Indian.

I've never seen this level of hostility directed at a single country online. I know racism affects many groups, including Black people, Chinese people, and countless other minorities, and I would never want to diminish what they go through.

What feels different to me about the racism directed at Indians is how often it's openly normalized. It frequently goes beyond prejudice against individuals and becomes contempt for an entire country, its culture, and its people. Mocking India or making degrading comments about Indians often seems socially acceptable in places where similar comments about many other groups would receive far more pushback.

Every country has criminals. Every country has people who commit horrific crimes. That has never been a good reason to stereotype millions of innocent people.

I never expected strangers on the internet to affect me this much, but over time they have.

Whenever I see India mentioned online now, I automatically expect the worst. I avoid reading comment sections because I already know what I'll find. The same insults, the same stereotypes, the same jokes repeated over and over again.

Eventually it stopped being just something I read.

It started changing the way I think.

I've caught myself wondering why I had to be born here. Out of nearly 200 countries, why this one? Why am I starting to feel embarrassed about something I never had any choice over?

I endlessly wish I had been born literally anywhere else.

I know those thoughts aren't rational, but constant exposure to hatred has a way of wearing you down.

More than anything, I'm just tired.

I'm tired of feeling anxious every time India comes up online.

I'm tired of wondering whether strangers have already decided who I am because of my nationality.

All other countries look down on us and deem us as inferior. White people come to India just to incite hateful videos.

I'm tired of feeling like I have to prove I'm worthy of respect before I've even spoken.

I know social media isn't the real world, but after seeing the same hostility day after day, it's becoming harder to separate the two.

What makes it even harder is that I don't always feel supported in spaces where I'd expect to.

Even on Indian subreddits, the discussions can be incredibly pessimistic. Sometimes it feels like people have completely given up on the country or on each other. Instead of empathy, you often see people reinforcing the same stereotypes or dismissing anyone who says they're struggling with how they're being perceived online.

I've noticed this a lot in communities like study abroad, immigration, world news, and even subreddits for Indian teenagers. When someone from a Western country says they want to move abroad, the replies are often encouraging. People tell them to chase their dreams and wish them the best.

But when an Indian says they want to immigrate, the conversation often feels completely different. Suddenly there are comments implying we're unwanted, that we're only leaving because we're a burden, or that we somehow deserve the discrimination we face. It makes me wonder, does the global job market only exist for certain nationalities? Why does the exact same dream seem to be viewed so differently depending on who's expressing it?

I've also seen people from other Asian countries share experiences of racism and receive an outpouring of sympathy and support. They deserve that kindness.

What hurts is that when Indians open up about experiencing racism, the response often feels far less compassionate. Instead of empathy, there's a tendency to dismiss it, justify it, or immediately shift the conversation to India's problems, as if racism becomes acceptable because our country has flaws.

Even seeing people from much smaller countries mock Indians or act as though we're somehow inherently inferior has started to wear me down.

Maybe social media isn't an accurate reflection of the real world. I genuinely hope it isn't.

But after seeing this kind of negativity day after day, it's becoming harder to believe that people will ever look past my nationality and simply see me as another human being.

Sad part is lot of Indians probably feel this way too. It will only get worse if we go on like this.

There has to be a change either online in platforms or IRL.

TL;DR

Constant exposure to anti Indian hate online has seriously damaged my mental health and self esteem. Seeing the same insults, stereotypes, and dehumanizing comments every day has made me anxious whenever India is mentioned, made me question my dream of travelling or living abroad, and even left me feeling ashamed of something I never chose.

Whenever I open Instagram, Reddit, YouTube... honestly, almost any social media platform, the amount of hate I see towards Indians is overwhelming.

I've reached the point where I'm genuinely scared to type "India" into a search bar because I don't know what the comments are going to look like. Sometimes I'm even afraid to watch creators from other countries because, in the back of my mind, I keep wondering, "Do they hate people like me too?"

I find it harder and harder to enjoy Korean content, Chinese content or Western media because my mind immediately goes to all the hateful comments I've seen online. There are so many videos calling Indians uncivilized, dirty, saying we're "invading" other countries or that they're glad they weren't born here. After seeing that over and over again, it starts affecting how you see yourself.

It honestly breaks my heart because one of my biggest dreams has always been to travel the world, experience different cultures and maybe even settle abroad one day. I wanted to meet people from different backgrounds, learn new languages and experience life somewhere completely different.

Now... that dream feels so much smaller.

Instead of feeling excited about travelling, I feel anxious. It feels like I'd already have to prove that I'm "one of the good ones" before people even got to know me. I hate feeling that way. I don't want to walk into every interaction wondering whether someone has already judged me because of my nationality or the colour of my skin.

I've genuinely found myself asking God, "Why was I born Indian? Why couldn't I have been born somewhere else? Why couldn't I have been born with fair skin?" I know those thoughts aren't fair to myself, but they're thoughts that come from constantly feeling unwanted online.

There are 190 plus countries yet I happen to be born as an Indian. I could have been born elsewhere.

I don't want to spend my life fighting racism.

I don't want to feel like I have to justify my existence or prove my worth because of where I was born. None of us chooses our nationality, our ethnicity or the colour of our skin.

I just wish people were kinder.

I wish people could be curious about one another instead of immediately jumping to stereotypes. I wish we could appreciate different cultures without putting others down. And I wish more people understood that behind every nationality, every passport and every stereotype is just another human being trying to live their life.

That's the world I hope we can build someday.

but This won't change in my lifetime , I will have to live as a dirty , inferior , ugly , poor Indian for the rest of my life

I'm curious to hear from dark-skinned Indian women who are clearly perceived as Indian.

If you're an Indian woman living abroad—whether you grew up there or moved there later what has your dating life been like? Have you faced any challenges because of your ethnicity or appearance, or has it been better than you expected?

I've often heard people say that many men tend to prefer white women or women with more Eurocentric features, and it sometimes makes me wonder how true that is in real life.

I'd really appreciate hearing your honest experiences, whether they've been positive, negative, or somewhere in between.

I’m part of the CSE batch of 2025–2029, and our next semester will be the 3rd semester. I wanted to know if there will be any class shuffling for CSE core students at that stage.