[Opinion] The 'Ban-chik Wang' YouTuber Who Ignores the Rules of the Game

Legacy media has lost the competition against YouTube. It was a difficult battle from the start. The competition did not last long, and the result is closer to a KO than a decision loss. It seems unlikely that the situation will be reversed.

There is still no conclusion on whether YouTube broadcasts focusing on current affairs and politics should be considered journalism. Legacy media still does not recognize them as journalism, but current affairs YouTube broadcasts perform all the functions of journalism, from news reporting to commentary. People who do not get their news through legacy media naturally accept that YouTube is a journalistic medium.

Last month, the Korea Press Arbitration Commission held a forum titled "YouTube Journalism and Personality Rights Infringement: How to Respond." Huh Hyun-jae, a professor in the Department of Newspaper and Broadcasting at Sogang University, said about current news consumption habits, "Legacy media asks whether YouTube is journalism, and people who consume news on YouTube ask back, if YouTube is not journalism, then what is?"

The forum led to discussions on regulating YouTube. Professor Huh expressed concern, saying, "To regulate YouTube, laws such as the EU's Digital Services Act and Germany's Network Enforcement Act are being discussed, but a tailored law considering Korea's unique situation is necessary. If the current situation with no regulation continues, it could reach a point where it becomes impossible to take action later."

France, which suffered the tragedy of 130 deaths in the 2015 Paris terror attacks, strongly regulates the spread of misinformation, hate, and terrorism by law. It enacted the 'Law on Countering Information Manipulation,' granting judges the authority to immediately delete fake news. In 2020, it passed the 'Internet Hate Speech Prohibition Act,' requiring that posts clearly containing hate or discrimination on social media be deleted within 24 hours. France's case shows the limits of freedom of expression.

Watching the "Five Special YouTube Live Broadcasts for Mobilizing Ten Million in Gwanghwamun" to write this article was disheartening. It took considerable patience to watch the video titled "The Day the President Was Hunted," which lasted 1 hour, 35 minutes, and 56 seconds, until the end. Uploaded on the 16th, this video claims that the nation will soon collapse due to pro-North Korean leftists. Similar videos can be easily found on other far-right YouTube broadcasts.

As more people consume news on YouTube, the possibility of confusing news credibility with popularity increases. Mixing facts and fake news to increase views and generate revenue cannot be considered journalism.

The press has a legal obligation to be held accountable as much as it is guaranteed freedom of expression, and if damage occurs, there is the Press Arbitration Act to hold them responsible. However, video platforms are not considered media companies under the Press Arbitration Act, so YouTube channels are exempt from even this minimal mechanism. Far-right YouTubers who are not sanctioned do not follow the "rules of the game." They habitually talk about liberal democracy, but they seem to be testing the limits of democracy.

Democracy respects all opinions but cannot turn a blind eye to language and actions that shake democracy itself. Now, video platforms that serve as media must bear corresponding legal responsibilities as much as they are guaranteed freedom of expression. This is not a matter of left or right, progressive or conservative. It is a matter of common sense versus nonsense, fairness versus unfairness, decency versus shamelessness, and sense versus nonsense.