제 11 호 Two Sides of the Algorithm : Focusing on YouTube Sensationalism
Kicker: ENTERTAINMENT
Two Sides of the Algorithm
Focusing on YouTube Sensationalism
By Su-Yeon Park, Cub-Reporter / Eun-Jae Choi, Reporter
possible921@naver.com/ Weloveeun123@naver.com
The COVID-19 and non-face-to-face routines have accelerated digital transformation. Almost all daily activities are online, from travel, finance, accommodation, and delivery to purchasing OTT service content such as YouTube and Netflix. In particular, the rapid provision of customized information recommended by AI algorithms brings speed and convenience while taking consumers away from the pleasure of obtaining various kinds of information themselves. Do people "want to look for new things, hear them, believe them?" or "do they only look for what they want to see, hear what they want to hear, believe what they want to believe?" Let's find out the concealed two sides behind recommended services based on AI algorithms in the era of big data.
The current portal's news arrangement service is done through algorithms. Kakao, one of Korea's largest social media platforms, has introduced "Rubics," an AI algorithm-based personalized news recommendation system since 2015, while the portal Naver has introduced "AiRS" since 2017. However, on June 17, the Special Committee on Media Innovation announced that it would seek to eliminate the system of recommending news through the portal's AI algorithm and strengthen news editing rights for news users and news media companies. The decision draws attention as it comes amid a debate over speed and convenience versus confirmation bias. Some argue that AI news recommendation algorithms that analyze people's tendencies increase users' satisfaction by providing search results very quickly based on personalized news preferences, and others say the lack of exposure to various news not only leads to confirmation bias but also does not help healthy society development.
The biggest problem with AI recommendation algorithms begins with the priority of providing customized news or content that each individual prefers. American jurist Cass R. Sunstein called “Echo Chamber” the phenomenon of having biased thinking while communicating only with people he/she likes or has similar thoughts. This brings about "Confirmation Bias" in which certain individuals consume only content that suits their taste, AI algorithms continue to recommend content that they prefer, and at the same time do not listen to stories that people disagree with them.
Among various media, algorithms can also be found on YouTube, which is used by many people. As with all SNS channels, users want to use the program for a long time, so they use algorithms by increasing their stay time by continuously showing videos that suit viewers' interests. However, these algorithms are causing many problems in which the subjects in the video are more sensational and excessive. The YouTube algorithm is also associated with Google. YouTube is designed to allow users to expose themselves to advertisements, earn profits and earn a lot of money from Google. In other words, the longer you use YouTube, the more advantageous it is. Therefore, YouTube algorithms increase viewing time, become addicted, and lock them up on YouTube platforms.
Since popular videos are also exposed to the top of the search results, YouTubers use them to create more views and popular videos. This phenomenon is known as cyber-reck in online space. Cyber-reck cars have emerged as a word for YouTubers who quickly create and increase views whenever an issue occurs in an online space, such as a tow truck running to a traffic accident scene. Recently, YouTubers who create and increase the number of views by piecing together avideo like the case of medical student Son Jung-min, who was broadcasted in "I Want to Know It," can feel the seriousness. There are also false profit structures that incite subscribers or earn profits by spreading false information. In addition, YouTubers are increasing the number of views by sensationally adding thumbnail images and titles, which are preview images, to induce their own video clicks. Since YouTube consistently updates videos that users will like and be interested in, users end up stuck in certain frames and exposed to similar tastes of videos. Therefore, the continuous exposure of sensational thumbnails and images creates a big problem of uncritically accepting sexually targeted media.
According to a survey of U.S. adults in the fall of 2018, the Pew Research Center said 64% of YouTube users find false information videos while using YouTube. In addition, 60 percent of people said they often see videos of people acting dangerously or in trouble. It shows that most people who use YouTube have seen videos that are problematic. There is a problem to leave various platforms to artificial intelligence alone. Therefore, it is necessary to discover new high-quality YouTube videos to prevent the spread of provocative and fake content indiscriminately.
< U.S. YouTube User Survey>
What should we do to avoid falling into the affirmative bias? You have to be in a position to double check if the information you are watching is really true. It is necessary to check whether the corresponding sources, media, and sources are properly identified. It should also be aware of various content and question whether only one's opinion is being unilaterally sent out. In the case of YouTube, harmful videos need to be actively blocked and reported one by one to create a better social environment. Furthermore, in the case of news, it is important that major portal sites in Korea provide services to users to select and organize news screens, not click the news as recommended by AI algorithms, but select and watch the news themselves.
Just as there are advantages to everything, there are certainly disadvantages. Algorithms are almost impossible to stop all the problems that have arisen with YouTube, which has become very influential today. However, it is the wisest way for users to develop a critical view without consuming the contents of cyber-reckers. Therefore, it is very necessary for people to develop their media literacy ability to analyze and evaluate media, rather than simply absorb it as it is.
