In about 10 weeks, four states and one Union Territory go to elections. There will be campaign songs, reels, trails, tactics and more. Policies will be launched and re-launched. From jingles to jumlas. From public rallies to podcasts. If the 2019 polls were India’s first “WhatsApp Elections” and 2024 India’s first “digital forward” elections, then 2026 ought to be characterised by a potpourri of both. They say 2029 will be the AI election. Here are some thoughts on the intersection of media and politics from an ever-eager student of both.

Fake news

Fake news may be described as yellow journalism on steroids — sensationalism amplified by technology to spread at algorithmic speeds with little to no accountability. The impact of fake news on elections today can be understood by going back to the basic journalistic framework of the “five Ws”.

What: While the term does not have any legal definition in India, the Australian government’s eSafety Commissioner describes fake news as “fictional news stories that are made up to support certain agendas”.

Who: With three out of five internet users in India accessing news and information online, the rapid proliferation of fake news is particularly worrying. A Pew Research Centre study of 2025 found that 65........

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