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Japan Today
06-06-2025
- Japan Today
Scrolling for truth: News for the swipe generation
By Jeff W. Richards In Japan, the media once shaped how the nation saw itself — through the nightly news, the front page of the morning paper or trusted commentators on TV. Today, a different kind of feed defines what people know. For younger generations, the news often comes in fragments: TikTok clips, Line summaries, Instagram reels. The swipe has replaced the scroll. For many, journalism is not really what they're looking for. A Tokyo commuter taps through TikTok, Instagram and Line headlines — catching hints of a scandal, a protest, the aftermath of war and a bit of government legislation all in under two minutes. She scrolls past memes, ii ne (liked) posts and push notifications — but has she really learned anything from the stories? The swipe feels efficient, but increasingly, it replaces depth with a dopamine fix. When headlines become habits A growing number of younger Japanese say their daily news consumption begins and ends on their phones. Image: O2O Creative/iStock Young people in Japan (and elsewhere) aren't avoiding the news, they're just consuming it in new ways. Much of it is filtered through platforms designed for speed and engagement, though, not accuracy or depth. Surveys show traditional TV news and newspapers are barely registering with people under 30. The trend is backed by international data. The Reuters Institute's 2024 Digital News Report found that younger Japanese are far more likely to stay informed through platforms like YouTube, social media or mobile aggregators than from legacy press. When news arrives as headlines, memes or stylish Instagram posts, though, it's harder to tell where journalism ends and something else begins. TikTok offers algorithmically curated outrage and summaries. News becomes a vibe, not a report. Instagram's slick carousel explainers often lack transparency about who makes them. Few are vetted and professionally fact-checked. Line News is a gateway for many Japanese users, but curated snippets rarely include the full context or link to complete stories. According to the DataReportal 'Digital 2025: Japan' and Digital Marketing for Asia's 'Social Media in Japan — everything you need to know,' platforms like TikTok, Line and Instagram are among the most commonly used sources of daily information for younger people in Japan. YouTube content creators sometimes provide in-depth commentary — but more often than not they blur the lines between reporting and opinion. Each platform imposes its own logic, its own computations. What gets surfaced then is what gets engagement — not necessarily what's important. It's the 'social' aspect of social media. Journalism, repackaged Platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok are increasingly shaping how news is encountered — if not always understood. Image: hapabapa/iStock With so much "news" being summarized, re-edited or reshared by 'experts,' influencers or anonymous accounts, traditional editorial gatekeeping is disappearing, even disregarded or just plain shrugged off. If there's no byline, no sourcing, no verification of facts — is it still journalism? Reporting is being replaced with repackaging. Japan's legacy media still struggles to connect with younger audiences. Trust hasn't disappeared — it's just migrated. Audiences now follow personalities over platforms. They value transparency and authenticity over institutional authority. That shift brings risks, but also opportunity. Taught to follow, not to question Despite near-universal tech access, few Japanese schools emphasize media literacy or critical engagement with digital content. Image: ferrantraite/iStock One reason the shift toward fragmented, feed-based news is so concerning in Japan is that critical media literacy has never been a strong suit — either in schools or in the public domain. Young people aren't being taught how to engage with news, whether online or off. Most education systems emphasize rote learning and memorization, not independent evaluation or questioning of sources. The result is a media landscape where audiences — especially younger ones — are increasingly consuming information in environments designed to entertain. There is little preparation or education for them to tell facts from spin. Without stronger support for news literacy — both in education and culture — it's not just journalism that suffers. It's the ability of an entire generation to ask better questions about the world around them. New voices, new platforms A new generation of journalists and creators are bringing serious topics to where audiences already are — online. Image: tdub303/iStock Some young and independent journalists are finding ways to bridge the gap — embracing social media without abandoning journalistic principles: Tansa, a nonprofit Tokyo-based newsroom, uses reader-supported funding to conduct long-term investigations and publish them accessibly online, while also training the next generation of journalists. Magdalena Osumi, reporting for The Japan Times, actively engages with digital audiences, including Reddit AMAs that break down complex issues like immigration in plain terms. Nithin Coca, a freelance journalist based in Japan and focused on climate and tech, offers transparency in sourcing and adapts to emerging platforms to expand reach while maintaining editorial integrity. These journalists are building trust not through institutional authority, but through accountability, direct engagement and clarity. They're showing that journalism can evolve while staying grounded. Meanwhile, Japan's major broadcasters and newspaper groups have been slow to respond. As we've reported here on Japan Today, many lack platform-specific strategies or fall back on simply reposting traditional content. A few experiments exist — TV Asahi has climbed on TikTok to reach younger audiences, offering news update snippets designed for mobile consumption, for instance — but the broader industry remains reactive rather than innovative. Paying attention — or just scrolling? For many, the feed never stops — and neither does the pressure to keep up, react and just keep scrolling. Image: praetorianphoto/iStock Even with a few bright spots — young journalists building trust and finding ways to get real stories out — there's a deeper concern: much of the audience may not be listening at all. Sure, journalism can evolve. Some are already doing the hard work of adapting it to new platforms, new expectations and new voices. Many users scroll through TikTok, Line or Instagram without ever following up. For some, the headline has become the entire story. Algorithms reinforce users' existing views, reducing the need for curiosity or critical thinking. It's not just Gen Z — millennials, too, are deep into this social-media-first news diet, including the misinformation vortex of Facebook. It feels like the feed has replaced reflection. The mobile screen becomes both window and mirror — constantly offering headlines, takes and vibes, but rarely asking for anything deeper in return. In the end, the danger may not just be misinformation. It's the creation of personal or peer group echo chambers that feel like the truth but aren't. When audiences stop looking beyond the end of their noses — or their screens — perspective and truth are easily lost. Tuning out the noise In a world of algorithm-fed fragments, choosing to slow down — and look up — may be journalism's last defense. Image: kyonntra/iStock The way Japan's younger generations consume news (if they do at all) is changing — fast. In some corners, so is the way journalism is being produced. Even the best reporting won't matter if no one takes the time to engage with it. The swipe is easy. The scroll is endless. But the truth? That still takes work. More from this series © Japan Today
Korea Herald
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
With about 2 weeks left, Korean voters use YouTube to 'feel out' candidates
In what appears to be South Korea's most YouTube-driven presidential race, authenticity may matter more than agenda After months of political upheaval, from last December's martial law crisis to President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment this April, South Korea has entered a full-blown election sprint. In an early presidential race few saw coming until late last year, candidates and voters alike are navigating a compressed, high-stakes campaign ahead of the June 3 vote. Amid this rush, voters across the country are increasingly turning to YouTube for candid, unfiltered glimpses into the personalities, values and authenticity of the candidates. "This election isn't about voters changing their minds through YouTube. Instead, voters are likely using YouTube to confirm their perceptions of various candidates, such as who seems trustworthy, authentic or flawed. It's less about swaying votes and more about shaping how people feel about their choices," said Park Jin-woo, a media communications professor at Hanyang University. YouTube's rise as a key battleground in South Korea's election landscape comes as no surprise, given its deep roots in the country's political culture. According to the 2024 Digital News Report from the Reuters Institute and Korea Press Foundation, 75 percent of Koreans regularly watch news on YouTube. This far surpasses the global average of 51 percent. This high reliance spans all age groups. Even among voters aged 60 and above, YouTube usage for news stands at 55 percent, nearly double the international average of 28 percent. Among the candidates, Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea has the most powerful YouTube presence by far. His official channel, launched over a decade ago, has more than 1.4 million subscribers and approximately 3,500 videos. Lee's videos try to lean heavily into humor, approachability and meme-ready charm. Thumbnails are often heavily photoshopped for comic effect, such as one showing him mid-drum solo. His Shorts are even more rapid-fire: since Yoon's removal on April 4, Lee has released over 120 Shorts, capitalizing on the platform's most viral format. He is also heavily invested in livestreaming and his channel's live section is packed with a wide mix of real-time broadcasts almost daily. Lee's appearances on other influential channels have made headlines as well. On Feb. 18, he spontaneously joined a livestream by the liberal political channel "Saenal," humorously reminding viewers to "subscribe, like and turn on notifications." The broadcast immediately went viral, prompting fans to donate more than 6 million won ($4,260) through YouTube's live chat, making it a top live donation stream on YouTube's charts that day. But with high visibility comes scrutiny, along with Lee's persistent controversies. An analysis from Sometrend, a local social media data analytics firm, shows that between Yoon's removal on April 4 and the start of the official presidential campaign on May 12, Lee generated over 211,000 mentions in YouTube comments, which is the highest among all candidates. However, negative mentions outweighed positive ones, accounting for 46 percent (97,597 cases) compared to 40 percent (85,270 cases) positive, with the remaining 13 percent classified as neutral. Critically, keywords like "crime" appear prominently in negative mentions of Lee, reflecting ongoing public attention to unresolved corruption and other legal allegations. These controversies haven't derailed his front-runner status, as recent polls show Lee comfortably leading, but they've given voters reason to closely scrutinize his character online. Updated Sometrend data, which now includes the first week of official campaigning through May 18, in addition to the earlier April 4-May 12 period, shows that public sentiment toward Lee has leveled out, with 44 percent of mentions positive and 43 percent negative. Kim Moon-soo, the conservative candidate from the People Power Party, presents a very different YouTube profile that is newer, more traditional and far less dynamic. His official channel was launched just over a month ago, on April 9, apparently for this election. As of May 19, it has quickly gained 389,000 subscribers, which is an impressive feat for such a short timeline. The subscriber count surged especially after he was formally confirmed as the party's candidate. Still, his content tends to lack flair. Most of Kim's videos, now totaling 225, follow a conventional format, such as speeches, policy announcements and campaign clips with minimal editing or emotional pull. His most-viewed video has 104,000 views, but most others hover below 10,000. Sometrend's data from the April 4-May 18 period reveals Kim generated fewer YouTube mentions overall: 217,884 compared to Lee's 276,202. His online sentiment profile is slightly more positive, with 48 percent positive (104,097 mentions), 40 percent negative (87,111) and 12 percent neutral. One notable attempt by Kim to boost his digital visibility was a recent humorous appearance on the popular comedy show, "Saturday Night Live Korea," where he poked fun at himself for a 2011 incident when he scolded an emergency dispatcher by repeatedly declaring, "This is the governor speaking!" Though the episode briefly gained attention with over 1 million views, Kim's appearance failed to create sustained YouTube engagement or notably shift his online image. Further complicating Kim's image online is his indirect association with controversial narratives around far-fetched election fraud claims promoted by far-right groups loyal to impeached former President Yoon. Kim himself has remained ambiguous rather than overtly supportive of Yoon. Lee Jun-seok, the youngest and most unconventional of the major candidates, represents the New Reform Party and has carved out a niche with a small but passionate digital base. While his overall YouTube footprint tracked by Sometrend is modest (34,093 mentions), his channel has become a magnet for younger, reform-minded voters. Lee's standout content is his nightly livestream, 'Up All Night Live." Broadcasting almost every weekday at 10 p.m., he shares personal commentary, political hot takes and reaction segments, often drawing tens of thousands of viewers. As of mid-May, the stream has passed its 40th episode, a consistency unmatched by other candidates. He supplements these with regular Shorts and offbeat video essays, like 'The Sad Tale of Kim Duk-soo and Han Moon-soo,' a tongue-in-cheek political parable. His channel grew significantly during the conservative camp's failed unification talks. On May 4, the day after Kim Moon-soo was named the People Power Party candidate, Lee's channel gained 2,800 subscribers. Two days later, on May 6, it gained 7,900 — the largest daily bump since its launch. In a country already famous for passionate politics, YouTube has become a converging ground for ardent followers — a space where they feed on a steady stream of content that reinforces their loyalty and worldview shaped by their chosen politicians. The platform's appeal lies in how it humanizes candidates, allowing voters to see them not just as policy-driven contenders, but as real people with personalities. Voters aren't watching YouTube to be persuaded, Professor Park explains, but to judge whether candidates seem sincere, trustworthy, or relatable. 'YouTube strips away much of the distance typical in politics,' said Park. 'When candidates show their human side through videos or live interactions, voters connect with them in a way traditional campaigning can't achieve, especially with only weeks until election day.' 'Ultimately, YouTube isn't changing who voters support. Instead, it shapes how confident or conflicted they feel about their decisions.' mjh@
