[YouTube and Confirmation Bias] On the Scene of the Filter Bubble That Caused Political Polarization

From YouTube to the Streets and Back Again
Unverified Claims Spread in a Cycle of Political Rallies and Online Echo Chambers

Editor's NoteIt is deepening confirmation bias regarding social issues. What kind of political world are individual YouTubers, who gather their support bases divided into far-right and far-left, showing us? Can we really trust the world they present? Are we only watching what we want to believe through YouTube due to algorithm-created filter bubbles? Asia Economy decided to verify this.

"I am watching your efforts through live streaming on YouTube. We will fight until the end. Let's gather more strength."

When President Yoon Seok-yeol sent a letter encouraging his supporters gathered near his Hannam-dong residence on the 1st of this month, conservative-leaning YouTubers became busy. They raised their voices opposing impeachment by defending the December 3 emergency martial law and rapidly increased their subscriber numbers by almost copying President Yoon's claim that the arrest warrant was executed illegally. To check how individual YouTubers leading pro- and anti-impeachment rallies at Hannam-dong were mobilizing supporters, we went to the rally site.

On the 31st, the day the court issued an arrest warrant for President Yoon Seok-yeol, groups calling for the president's arrest and groups opposing the arrest faced off with the police in between near the presidential residence in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

From YouTube to rallies, and back to YouTube

"Impeachment null! Investigate election fraud!" A man holding a microphone shouted from the stage at the Hannam-dong rally on the 14th, when the perceived temperature was as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius. On the LED screen behind him, videos from a YouTuber's channel were playing. The seated crowd waved Taegeukgi and Stars and Stripes flags, chanting slogans. Words like 'anti-state forces,' 'myeolgong' (anti-communism), and 'Your Excellency' were heard. The rallies were mainly led by YouTubers. They took the stage as speakers and live-streamed the scenes on their YouTube channels.

The atmosphere grew increasingly heated. They sang songs made from President Yoon's letter to supporters or a song called "Traitors," criticizing lawmakers like former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon who supported the impeachment vote. Kim Jun-im (71), who said it was her first time attending a rally, said, "I learned the songs by watching YouTube to sing them at the rally." When asked why she came out, Kim said, "Because I wanted to respond to President Yoon's words encouraging supporters to fight until the end."

Most rally participants met on site were elderly, aged 60 to 80. Jang Gil-ja (66), who was standing in line to receive winter supplies and food provided by someone's sponsorship, said, "Watching YouTube at home is my daily routine, but it's good to come out to the rally and raise my voice." Even while sitting on the ground eating cup noodles or waving placards and shouting slogans, they did not let go of their phones playing YouTube videos.

(Clockwise) Supporters of President Yoon watching YouTube on their mobile phones at the Hannam-dong rally site, YouTubers gathered at the pro-impeachment rally, and a YouTuber criticizing the opposition party leader. Photo by Lee Iseul

Supporters warming themselves inside a large heating bus deployed at the rally site also watched YouTube or news on their phones. Oh Han-su (72), whom we met on the bus, showed a tightly packed YouTube streaming schedule from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and urged, "The hosts of certain channels are doctors and lawyers, so they provide a lot of useful political information. You must watch." When asked what specific helpful information there was, he argued for a long time that "election fraud is a fact." Oh, who said, "I watch YouTube every day because I want to be of some help," reminded one of a hardcore fan deeply involved in idol singer fandom.

Supporters of President Yoon met at the rally claimed that YouTubers tell the "truth." They repeatedly asserted that President Yoon is behind the YouTubers and that they maintain close relationships among themselves. Some supporters made extreme claims mentioning North Korea, saying, "News is fabricated fake propaganda, so you shouldn't watch it."

YouTubers flaunting political influence

The more politically colored the YouTubers were, the stronger their political influence at rallies. The 'New Men's Solidarity' demanded at the rally on the 8th that People Power Party local lawmakers gather in front of the presidential residence. Naming them, they said, "We will not leave you alone," and "Come quickly. This is not a request but a threat." This was broadcast live through their YouTube channel, and later, current and former youth committee heads of the People Power Party's nationwide city and provincial chapters appeared on site. After interviewing the YouTubers, they held a head-shaving ceremony on stage. The YouTubers said, "We must be the ones who can move the People Power Party leadership. We must use the lawmakers."

On the 31st, the day the court issued an arrest warrant for President Yoon Seok-yeol, groups calling for the president's arrest and groups opposing the arrest faced off with the police between them near the presidential residence in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyeong

Jeon Kwang-hoon made intense remarks at the rally, naming People Power Party lawmakers who voted in favor of impeachment. Lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun attended the rally and bowed deeply, even performing a full bow, in response to Jeon's words, "If you do well, you will become president." This was also broadcast live on Jeon's YouTube channel 'Jeon Kwang-hoon TV.' YouTubers easily named People Power Party lawmakers at rallies, and later, lawmakers actually attended rallies, showing off their influence.

According to the YouTube channel ranking platform 'Playboard,' conservative political YouTube channels such as 'Hong Cheol-gi TV' and 'Young Perspective,' which broadcast live coverage of the situation in front of the Hannam-dong residence, received donations ranging from 2 to 4 million KRW each. 'Shinui Hansu' has collected over 130 million KRW in donations (Super Chats) from the 5th of last month to the 2nd of this month, after the martial law incident. Its subscribers increased by more than 70,000 from before the martial law incident (1.51 million) to about 1.58 million. Most major conservative YouTube channels have increased their subscriber numbers by tens of thousands compared to November last year, before the martial law incident, as of January.

Among progressive-leaning YouTube channels, 'Cat News' and broadcaster Kim Eo-jun's 'Kim Eo-jun's Humility is Difficult News Factory' received several tens of millions of KRW in Super Chats on the day of the second arrest warrant execution against President Yoon, ranking first and second in donation amounts.

Claims spread without verification

YouTubers producing politically biased videos enjoyed a status almost equivalent to media outlets among supporters with conservative or progressive political leanings, but most skipped the process of verifying the claims they spread.

Unverified information spread from YouTube to rallies and back to YouTube. Most media outlets report according to journalistic principles such as fact-checking and hearing opposing views. In contrast, YouTube, as a one-person media platform, allows anyone to create videos and broadcast live without principles, creating an environment where people can propagate claims without verification.

At the rally, supporters raised their voices saying, "President Yoon's approval rating has exceeded 40%," and YouTubers broadcast this live, claiming, "The rise in approval rating reflects the people's voice that martial law was well done." They also said, "The approval rating will soon exceed 50%" and reported that there are more supporters among young people in their teens and twenties. The poll conducted by the Korea Public Opinion Reputation Research Institute (KOPRA), which compiled this approval rating, has been criticized for not adopting exemplary survey methods, such as asking questions based on President Yoon's 'support,' but no YouTubers on site objectively disclosed this information.