Karnataka Beda Bro campaign faces Gen Z awareness gap

Most Bengaluru college students interviewed by The News Minute said they had not heard of the Karnataka government's Beda Bro anti-drug campaign, launched on June 30 by Home Minister Priyank Kharge alongside Operation RISE. The campaign uses social media videos, college events and mall rallies to encourage young people to say no to drugs.

Of eight students contacted, only one had seen a campaign video on X. Several said the content, which they described as AI-generated, failed to convey the seriousness of drug use. One student recommended using more short-form content on Instagram and YouTube Shorts to reach Gen Z effectively.