Xxxvii) India

- the digital world of social media with its technology (access to the Internet and cheapness of Internet access devices) is empowering and encouraging people to become more active and to participate in public debates, eg re domestic violence and rape, political and bureaucratic corruption, etc.

People are more connected and have access to information that was previously only available to the wealthy and powerful. Now farmers can watch weather reports, students in villages have access to online educational courses, artisans to sell their goods on-line, etc

The cell phone was the start of the communications revolution. In a decade global cell phone ownership increased from a few million to nearly 6 billion (around 90% of the world's population). India currently has around 900 million mobile phones. Now cheap tablets are being provided and allow increasing Internet access. Also villagers are being connected by optic fibre cable that provides cheap affordable Internet access