Today’s teenagers, raised on cellphones and social media, often find it difficult to explain to their elders about the unparalleled prospects offered by a stable Internet connection and a smart device. Moving out of the engineer-doctor-CA routine, they are emerging as poised, media-savvy and extremely confident young people ready to take on the world.

From becoming overnight sensations by showcasing their talents to initiating socially-transformative movements such as #NeverAgain and #MeToo, youngsters today have cracked the social media code. The post-millennial generation has, unlike their predecessors, managed to tame the virtual dragon and use it to their optimal advantage.

Armed with smartphones and webcams, youngsters have significantly shortened the journey to the zenith of the growth totem pole by expressing themselves freely to a massive audience. They have managed to create a truly democratic platform, wherein every consumer is indeed an actual or potential content creator, thereby earning the right to judge content as an audience as well as a peer.

This has also kept them on their toes and forced them to focus on quality, because they know that with the huge amount of content available, you just cannot push mediocrity down the throats of viewers anymore.

The emergence of live-streaming platforms and the introduction of live broadcasting feature are largely due to the rising need of young performers to showcase their talent. From Biswa Kalyan Rath and Kanan Gill to recent online sensations such as actor Rehan Tamta or singer Shruti Sharma of online live social platform Live.me, audience empowerment has enabled many people to make the journey from viewers to creators. These platforms have not only helped budding stars become famous by attracting followers but also earn a living by doing what they enjoy.

Live-streaming platforms have helped youngsters establish a career and earn a stable livelihood during the initial days. Being a spontaneous platform for content consumption and engagement, they give creators as well as users a thrill of uncertainty and immediate impact.

Live-platforms have also leveled the playing field by making it extremely easy for youngsters to showcase their talent and get recognised easily. A growing fan base attracts advertisers and channel partners as well as established production houses, propelling a youngster to unprecedented success and growth in a short span of time.

Ease of engagement, instant reaction and a growing number of revenue sources have empowered kids today to give up all inhibitions and believe in their abilities. Gone are the days when people used to harp about the need to have connections, strong networking, huge expenditure and moreover, luck to strike it big.

The millennial generation makes its own luck, and many have managed to chart their own way through the digital labyrinth to the top. The role models are changing, and success stories such as rapper Divine, comic actor Bhuvan Bam or singer-actor Mithila Palkar have given hope to millions of Indian youngsters to create their own rags-to-riches story, not through sleepless nights spent on railway stations or parks, but through likes, shares and love!

The writer is CEO, LiveMe