대학신문방송국

Short-Form Content

By Song Chae-bin, Cub Reporter, Freshman of Division of Humanities, Social Sciences, Business, and Economics

We live in an age where content is constantly overflowing. Among the various types of content encountered in daily life, short-form content best reflects the clearest example of the rapidly changing trend. Short-form means a video form that is short and intuitive. Platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok offer this type of video.

What is Short-Form Content?

Main characteristics of short-form content include delivering key messages quickly, allowing easy participation due to convenient production and consumption, and boosting viewers’ concentration compared to long videos or text-based media. It is widely used in advertising, marketing, and public campaigns.

According to the ⌈2024 Online Video Service Usage Behavior Survey⌋ by the Korea Creative Content Agency, 72 percent of the respondents said they had used short-form content within the last year. It shows that most Korean online video users consume short-form content. At the same time, it is implied that short-form content has become a major content form beyond a passing trend.

Convenient by Short-Form Content, Steal the Depth of Thought

As such, short-form content has become one of the forms of everyday content, but the impact of our consumption habits on us is by no means light. The fast pace of short-form content makes it difficult for our brains to concentrate in one place. In addition, resistance to these short stimuli leads to greater stimulation, which leads to loss of interest in daily life. 

The Dysfunction of Short-Form Content, Spreading Throughout Society 

Some video producers add incendiary content or fake information in their products to attract viewers’ attention. As a result, unverified content and smear productions are being indiscriminately produced and distributed. While their unethical behavior may be effective in attracting viewers’ attention in the short term, it ultimately only contributes to promoting social division.

The possibility of exposing violent or lewd content to a large number of unspecified users cannot be excluded. If you encounter provocative content, the algorithm recommends similar things steadily for the user. Companies that provide such content argue that there is no problem because these are for adults. However, due to the nature of being accessible to anyone, the possibility of exposing images harmful to minors cannot be excluded. As can be seen from the example presented above, short-form content provision platforms have not prepared an active plan to solve those problems. In addition, regulations on such content are not implemented in most countries, and the lack of laws to be punished criminally is the cause of amplifying the problem.

Era of Short-Form: How Can I Protect Myself?

‘Digital detox’ refers to temporarily avoiding digital devices to reduce stress and improve quality of life. Let’s apply the same method when looking at short-form content. Instead of spending too much leisure time on these platforms, it is recommended to limit usage to specific times and practice other hobbies such as exercise, walking, or reading.

Problem of Short-Form: Our Countermeasures

However, there is a limit to solving these with only individual efforts. Furthermore, regulations are failing to keep pace with the rapid spread of short-form content. The nation should impose regulations on short-form content platforms and legislate against hazardous content creators.

It is hard to deny that short-form content has significant advantages, such as rapid delivery of information and easy accessibility. Even if we only depend on its convenience, it becomes difficult to think deeply, and such problems are not only personal issues but also more widespread. In the end, the key lies not in how much we consume, but in how we consume it. In a short-form era that requires deep thinking and careful interpretation of information, we must protect ourselves.