A Study on the Alienation of Youth Public Participation in the Short Video Sphere and Issues of Communication Justice

DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jnme.202610501

Author(s)

Waini Chan

Affiliation(s)

Radio and Television Studies, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China

Abstract

In the pre-short-video era, young people primarily learned about public issues through newspapers or radio and television programs, and engaged in civic participation through voting, in-person complaints, or even online forums. Today, however, young people use short-video platforms to stay instantly informed about current events, interact with others, and engage through “likes” and comments on public platforms. The mode and form of communication have shifted from primarily face-to-face interpersonal communication to mediated communication on social media platforms. This transformation has triggered and exacerbated imbalances in communication justice. However, most existing studies have yet to develop an integrated analytical framework for “alienation and imbalance.” While there has been some research on algorithms, capital, society, and individuals, there remains a lack of insight into the interplay among these multiple factors. Building on this, this paper focuses on young people aged 16–35. Based on 204 valid questionnaire responses and drawing on existing literature, it explores the causes of alienation and the imbalance of communicative justice, as well as the resulting issues. The study employed questionnaire surveys, content analysis, and case studies. The findings reveal that the algorithmic traffic logic, platform rules, social environment, and young people’s own media cognition collectively contribute to the current phenomenon of alienation in behavior, discourse, values, and purposes. This study draws upon theoretical foundations in short-form video, public participation, alienation, and communicative justice to present its arguments and analysis. Consequently, it constructs two analytical frameworks tailored to the Chinese context-the “Four Dimensions of Alienation” and the “Five Dimensions of Justice”-providing both a theoretical basis and practical pathways for addressing the aforementioned issues.

Keywords

Short Videos; Public Participation; Alienation; Communication Justice

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