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Correspondent

23 August 2024 at 4:29:04 pm

Algorithmic Anarchy

The NEET paper leak protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar should have remained a legitimate expression of student anger over the collapse of examination integrity. Instead, as the agitation escalated into clashes with the police, abusive sloganeering and an increasingly radical political campaign, Meta’s algorithms emerged as an invisible force multiplying the unrest. The controversy surrounding the brief removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message to the youth in the aftermath of the...

Algorithmic Anarchy

The NEET paper leak protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar should have remained a legitimate expression of student anger over the collapse of examination integrity. Instead, as the agitation escalated into clashes with the police, abusive sloganeering and an increasingly radical political campaign, Meta’s algorithms emerged as an invisible force multiplying the unrest. The controversy surrounding the brief removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message to the youth in the aftermath of the protests only reinforces that concern. Meta has attributed the takedown to a “technical glitch” and apologised. But when the world’s largest social media platform can temporarily suppress the message of the elected leader of the world’s largest democracy during a politically charged moments, the issue extends well beyond a single deleted post. Who decides what India sees? That question has become impossible to ignore during the Cockroach Janta Party’s protests. Across Instagram and Facebook, users have reported being inundated with CJP videos, reels and protest clips despite never following the organisation or engaging with similar political content. Whether this resulted from coordinated paid collaborations, recommendation algorithms or both deserves a thorough investigation. But the larger democratic concern is that public opinion is increasingly being mediated not by citizens, journalists or elected representatives, but by opaque algorithms designed in Silicon Valley and optimised for engagement rather than democratic responsibility. Meta’s recommendation engine is not a passive notice board. Every piece of political content that reaches millions has first been selected by an algorithm whose workings remain largely hidden from public scrutiny. This is hardly unique to India. Around the world, Meta has repeatedly been accused of amplifying polarisation, misinformation and political extremism because outrage keeps users engaged. From elections to ethnic conflicts and episodes of civil unrest, the company has faced persistent criticism that its commercial incentives reward divisive content over balanced discourse. Democracies cannot afford to outsource the architecture of public debate to corporations whose primary obligation is to shareholders rather than constitutional values. While citizens are entitled to challenge governments and demand accountability, there is an important distinction between a movement that expands because people are persuaded and one that appears to be algorithmically amplified into omnipresence. Equally disturbing has been the normalisation of abusive political language during the protests. When such content is repeatedly amplified through recommendation systems, platforms cease to be neutral intermediaries and become active participants in degrading democratic discourse. Platforms that influence elections, protests and public opinion must explain how political recommendations are generated and why particular narratives receive extraordinary amplification. Silicon Valley companies insist they are merely technology platforms. But their algorithms increasingly exercise editorial power. When software determines which protests dominate national conversations and whose voices disappear, technology has already become politics.

Real estate the new gold for investment

Mumbai: As India’s investment landscape evolves, a growing debate is emerging among investors over which asset class truly delivers superior long-term wealth creation — gold, stocks or land. While gold has historically served as a trusted safe-haven asset and equities have generated substantial wealth during economic booms, real estate-backed land investments are increasingly gaining prominence due to infrastructure expansion, urbanisation and long-term appreciation potential.


The discussion has gained additional relevance following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent appeal urging citizens to reduce non-essential gold purchases to help conserve India’s foreign exchange reserves. The statement has sparked conversations across financial and investment circles about whether investors may increasingly shift focus towards equities and tangible real estate assets.


Traditionally, gold has been viewed as a reliable hedge during periods of economic uncertainty. It offers stability and liquidity, making it a preferred choice during volatile market conditions. However, experts point out that while gold preserves wealth, it may not always generate significant long-term appreciation compared to other growth-oriented assets.


Stocks, meanwhile, continue to remain one of the fastest wealth-generating avenues. India’s equity markets have produced substantial returns over the years, particularly for disciplined long-term investors. Yet, equities are also exposed to sharp market fluctuations, global uncertainties and cyclical corrections, making them suitable largely for investors with higher risk tolerance and active market participation.


In contrast, land investments are steadily emerging as a compelling long-term wealth creation strategy, particularly in rapidly developing growth corridors surrounding major cities. Improved connectivity, new highways, metro corridors, industrial zones and large-scale infrastructure projects are transforming peripheral regions into high-potential investment destinations.


Unnati Varma, Director, ORA Land (by ORA Group), said, “Gold and stocks will always remain important components of a diversified portfolio, but land investment has a unique long-term advantage because of its finite nature and growing demand. With major infrastructure projects opening up new growth corridors, strategically located land parcels are witnessing strong appreciation potential. Investors today are increasingly looking at land not only as an emotional asset but also as a high-growth investment opportunity with lower volatility over the long run.”


Biggest Advantage

Industry leaders believe the biggest advantage of land lies in its tangible and finite nature. Unlike stocks, which are market-linked, or gold, which is globally price-sensitive, land values are often directly influenced by infrastructure-led development and urban expansion.


Kamlesh Thakur, President, NAREDCO Maharashtra and Co-Founder & Managing Director, Srishti Group, said, “Every asset class plays a distinct role in an investor’s portfolio. Gold offers stability during periods of uncertainty, equities create opportunities for higher growth, while land continues to stand out as a resilient, inflation-resistant asset with strong long-term appreciation potential. In India, ownership of land and real estate also carries deep aspirational and generational significance, making it one of the most preferred investment avenues.”


He added, “A major catalyst driving land investments today is infrastructure-led urban expansion. Emerging highways, metro corridors, industrial hubs, and large-scale connectivity projects are transforming peripheral regions into high-potential investment destinations around major cities.”


Nihar Jayesh Thakkar, Founder, The Mandate House Pvt. Ltd., observed that investor preferences are gradually becoming more strategic and future-focused. “Stocks may deliver faster returns during bullish cycles, but they also demand higher risk tolerance and active monitoring. Gold acts more as a defensive asset. Land, particularly in high-potential growth corridors, offers a balanced proposition of long-term capital appreciation and asset security,” he said.


As India’s economic landscape expands beyond metropolitan cores into emerging corridors and Tier-II regions, experts believe land investments could play a defining role in the next phase of wealth creation. While financial planners continue to advocate diversification across asset classes, real estate, especially strategically located land parcels, is increasingly being viewed not merely as a traditional asset, but as a long-term engine of sustainable wealth generation. 

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