Jeong Jun-sung's Yeomindongnak (347) 'Short-form' Campaigning

'Shorts'. A short-form video sharing platform provided by YouTube.

Currently, uploads of up to 3 minutes (180 seconds) are possible, and YouTube's algorithm exposure is a major strength.

When it was launched in 2021, there was a 30-second limit, but as the number of users increased, the upload time expanded as well.

Nowadays, an increasing number of people across all ages are becoming addicted to 'short-form' content like 'Shorts'.

According to the Korea Press Foundation, last year the average daily viewing time for elementary 4th through high school 3rd graders using online video platforms was 3 hours and 20 minutes.

And more than 60% of viewing time was occupied by 'short-form' content such as 'Shorts', Instagram Reels, and TikTok.

When you simply swipe your finger across the screen, an endless stream of interesting 15-to-60-second videos plays. People cannot put their smartphones down.

As a result, they are given the nickname 'digital drugs'.

The algorithm recommends topics in real time through videos that can capture users' interest.

Experts say these recommendations repeatedly stimulate the brain's reward circuit (dopamine system), reinforcing the expectation that "the next video will be interesting too".

Once exposed to 'short-form' content, it becomes difficult to quit for this very reason.

As a result, when people turn on their smartphones, they encounter 'short-form' content first, and typically spend an hour or two watching.

It disregards time and place. This speaks to how addictive it is.

Concerns about its harmful effects on health are also increasing.

It is said that sleep disorders, reduced attention span, numbed sense of time, and escapist tendencies are easy to develop.

However, such concerns are insufficient to reduce access to 'short-form' content.

As a wide variety of videos are being produced and rare videos continue to emerge, the spread is only accelerating.

As the election season approaches, diverse 'short-form' broadcasts covering various topics from candidates are proliferating.

It is sufficient to feel a certain kind of 'change in campaign methods'.

Along with this, there are rising concerns.

Moreover, with AI-generated videos that contradict the facts taking over, questions about the truthfulness of campaign claims are being raised.

Of course, policy and platform competitions using 'short-form' videos are being conducted fiercely.

There are also arguments about positive functions, such as increasing familiarity between candidates.

However, there appear to be many negative effects at this point.

As the election approaches, 'short-form' campaigning will likely intensify further. It is curious to see how far this will evolve.