iWorld
COAI to review implications of SC judgement on Aadhar linkage with sim
MUMBAI: On Wednesday, the five judge bench of Supreme Court struck down Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act while upholding the constitutional validity of the scheme. It has led to a big no to compulsory linkage of mobile phone numbers to the unique identification number. In response to the verdict, Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI) Wednesday said it will examine and assess implications of the Supreme Court judgement.
Section 57 of Aadhaar act permitted private entities like telecom companies and banks to use Aadhaar data.
“We respect the Aadhaar verdict of the Supreme Court, the apex court of India. We are going to review the judgement and its implications. We shall await further orders and instructions from Department of Telecom,” COAI director general Rajan S Mathews said in a statement. He also added COAI member operators as will definitely comply with the law.
Justice Chandrachud while reading out the judgement said linking Aadhaar with mobile poses threat to autonomy, dignity and privacy. He added though the aim might be legitimate but the means to achieve that aim cannot be lopsided. He also directed the telecom service providers to delete the data they had collected from users.
As per an Economic Times report, a BSNL official said removing consumer data, if required, won’t be a huge problem as it is largely a software driven function. However, individual telco operators are awaiting a communication from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
iWorld
Micro-Dramas Surge in India, Redefining Mobile Content Habits
Meta-Ormax study maps rapid rise of short-form storytelling among 18–44 audiences.
MUMBAI: Micro-dramas aren’t just short, they’re the snack that ate Indian entertainment, and now everyone’s bingeing between the sofa cushions. Meta, in partnership with Ormax Media, has released ‘Micro Dramas: The India Story’, a comprehensive study unveiled at the inaugural Meta Marketing Summit: Micro-Drama Edition. The report maps how the vertical, bite-sized format is reshaping content consumption for mobile-first audiences aged 18–44 across 14 states.
Conducted between November 2025 and January 2026 through 50 in-depth interviews and 2,000 personal surveys, the research reveals that 65 per cent of viewers discovered micro-dramas within the last year proof of explosive adoption. Nearly 89 per cent encounter the format through social feeds and recommendations, making algorithm-driven discovery the primary engine rather than active search.
Key viewing patterns show a median of 3.5 hours per week (about 30 minutes daily) spread across 7–8 short sessions. Consumption peaks between 8 pm and midnight, with additional spikes during commutes and work breaks classic “in-between moments” that the format fills perfectly. Around 57 per cent of viewing happens in ambient mode (while doing something else), and 90 per cent is solo, enabling more intimate, personal storytelling.
Romance, family drama and comedy lead genre preferences. Audiences show growing openness to AI-generated content, 47 per cent find it unique and creative, while only 6 per cent say they would avoid it entirely. Regional languages are surging after Hindi and English, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada dominate consumption.
Meta, director, media & entertainment (India) Shweta Bajpai said, “Micro-drama isn’t a passing trend, it’s rewriting the rules of Indian entertainment. In under a year, an entirely new category of platforms has emerged, built audience habits from scratch, and created a business vertical that is scaling fast.”
Ormax Media founder-CEO Shailesh Kapoor added, “Micro-dramas are beginning to show the early signs of becoming a distinct content category in India’s digital entertainment landscape. When a format aligns closely with how audiences naturally engage with their devices, it has the potential to scale very quickly.”
The study proposes ecosystem-wide responsibility, universal signposting of commercial intent, shared accountability among advertisers, platforms, creators, schools and parents, built-in safeguards, and formal media literacy in schools.
In a feed that never sleeps and a day that never stops, micro-dramas have slipped into the cracks of every spare minute turning 30-second stories into the new national pastime, one vertical swipe at a time.
