Navigating_new_media_The_impact_of_short_video_platforms_on

Abstract

• The study investigates the impact of short video social media platforms on political news consumption among Chinese university students.

• Notable low political news consumption and political apathy among Chinese youth were observed.

• Douyin (TikTok) serves as the key focus, utilizing the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) framework, enhanced by perceived credibility and political efficacy.

• Findings suggest positive impacts of perceived usefulness, ease of use, and credibility on attitude toward using Douyin; however, perceived political efficacy did not have a supported impact.

Introduction

• Political literacy is crucial in shaping the values and worldview of college students in China.

• Despite traditional media's role, low participation in political news consumption persists among students, leading to increased political apathy.

• Understanding the factors affecting political news consumption in social media can enhance political literacy education.

Literature Review

Social Media in China

• Social media is increasingly significant for Chinese college students, with platforms like WeChat, QQ, Weibo, Douyin, and Zhihu dominating.

• Douyin saw around 1 billion users in China, with a major portion aged 15-35.

• Social media's accessibility empowers political participation by providing lower barriers to information access.

University Students' News Consumption

• Chinese university students use various channels for political news, but show significant political apathy and distrust towards media.

• Factors for political indifference include limited political education, family restrictions on discussions, entertainment focus on the internet, and job pressures.

• Low trust in political news affects engagement with vital political information, compromising political literacy.

Theoretical Framework

• The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is utilized to analyze user acceptance of technology based on perceived usefulness and ease of use as predictors.

• The model helps in understanding factors influencing the adoption of platforms like Douyin for consuming political news.

• Perceived political efficacy and credibility were identified as additional variables in the model.

Research Methodology

• A survey was conducted among students from multiple universities to gather data on political news consumption behaviors.

• The survey utilized online tools and academic models to collect quantitative data regarding perceptions of usefulness, ease of use, credibility, political efficacy, attitudes, and behavioral intentions.

Results

• Data from 211 questionnaires indicated a significant positive relationship between perceived usefulness, ease of use, and credibility on users' attitudes towards using Douyin for news consumption.

• Political efficacy did not significantly influence attitudes as initially hypothesized, suggesting students prioritize content engagement over expected political impact.

Discussion and Conclusion

• The study reaffirms the TAM framework in understanding social media usage among students for political news.

• The validation of most hypotheses highlights the need for enhanced quality of political information on platforms like Douyin to combat political apathy.

• Recommendations include improving the credibility and user experience of political content on social media to boost engagement and political literacy among youth.

Limitations

• The study's sample was limited to a few universities, suggesting the need for broader research across different demographics for more generalizable findings.