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Title Institute for Future Strategy Forum: Distortion of the Public Sphere and Political Polarization — Yo Hit 165

Forum on Distortion of the Public Sphere and Political Polarization: YouTube Politics and Fake News

Theme: Distortion of the Public Sphere and Political Polarization: YouTube Politics and Fake News
Date: April 30, 2025
Moderator: Kang Won-Taek (Director, Institute for Future Strategy, Seoul National University)
Speakers: Yoon Seok-Min (Professor, Department of Communication, Seoul National University), Han Jeong-Hoon (Professor, Graduate School of International Studies, Seoul National University)
Discussants: Jin Joong-Kwon (Special Professor, Information Science & Education Institute, Kwangwoon University), Lee Jin-Soon (Chair, Wagle Foundation), Kim Jae-Seop (Member of the National Assembly, People Power Party), Kim Woo-Young (Member of the National Assembly, Democratic Party of Korea), Han Kyu-Seob (Professor, Department of Communication, Seoul National University), Lee Jae-Mook (Professor, Department of Political Science & International Relations, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies)

Key Points from the Video

  • With the rise of digital media, the spread of fake news and misinformation via YouTube has distorted the public sphere, deepened political distrust and polarization, and posed a threat to democracy [01:13].

  • A significant portion of South Koreans consume news through YouTube, where “YouTube journalism” often fails to follow journalistic principles, relying on unverified opinion-based content, subjective interpretation, and sensational editing [08:10].

  • Existing legal and institutional responses to fake news have shown limited effectiveness and carry risks of political misuse, highlighting their clear limitations [14:04].

  • Strengthening the original role of the press is seen as the fundamental solution to the crisis in the public sphere, but the media faces deepening distrust, cynicism, and worsening financial difficulties [19:34].

  • Research findings show that YouTube users tend to consume content only from channels that align with their political orientation, with right-leaning users in particular exhibiting a marked trend toward radicalization [37:06].

Keywords
#PublicSphere #PoliticalPolarization #YouTubePolitics #FakeNews #MediaTrust #PressReform #DigitalMedia

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