A Social Messaging App in India: Challenging Traditional Structures of Communication

The book offers a comprehensive exploration of the proliferation of WhatsApp across personal, professional and social spheres in the everyday lives of individuals, including those with disabilities. By employing a mixed method approach that integrates both qualitative and quantitative data, the authors provide a nuanced understanding of the platform’s pervasive role in modern communication. The theoretical arguments substantiated through structured questionnaire surveys are coupled with in-depth interviews and insights from social scientists and policy makers to shed light on WhatsApp’s growing influence in India. The authors reflect on their personal experiences to understand the fundamental factors that contribute to the widespread appeal and influence of the medium in formal and informal groups; families, communities, associations and businesses, while also exploring the role of the admin and politics in shaping contemporary communication patterns. The discussion and findings are focused on India; however, given the generic nature of the application, they may be applied in the global context. The ten chapters establish the supremacy of WhatsApp in comparison to other social media communication apps, while highlighting the challenges and limitations of the medium. The authors contend that the medium’s popularity and uniqueness stem from its affordability, simple interface, easy use, low data usage, multiple media formats, multilingual support, and features such as group chats, and end-to-end encryption.