BY MOOL RAJ
The internet is a crucial part of daily routine for today’s generation – whether it is for entertainment, education, business or news. It brings the world to your fingertips as the single most essential tool for communication. In recent years, rapid development in the fields of internet and technology altogether has given rise to new platforms and tools. With this advancement, all kinds of activities have been taking place in online communities where people can connect with each other and themselves through short and concise forms of content. The rising tide of YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and Likee videos have made one point particularly clear – short videos are very much in demand, and undoubtedly, the genre of short videos has created a large user base within a short period of time.
Some might ask why short videos are so much in demand and what are the main values of the short video platforms?
And most importantly, how are these short video platforms shaping our youth’s emotional experiences? Short videos, which are typically a few seconds long, can be shot and edited on smartphone applications, and then shared quickly on social platforms.
The sharing of short-form content between people in these online communities has primarily sprung from short video platforms. Creating content on these short video platforms is incredibly easy, convenient and fun with no rigorous editing required. Short-form video platforms are often considered as the most democratic way of creating content due to its unique attribute of bringing the content creator residing within most of us out in the open, requiring absolutely no additional expenditure on expensive setups or gears, one can easily curate content on these apps as an outlet to unleash the creative side to the world. Nowadays, young people are most comfortable with short-format videos and are using different platforms to explore different experiences through creative videos. Almost everyone in this contemporary and advanced world spends a massive chunk of time engaging in these short video platforms, especially the youth. Short video platforms provide a safe space for the young people to interact with people of similar interests across the globe; hence, shaping their emotional experiences as a whole.
These platforms provide today’s generation and millennials with the opportunity to interact with fellow young people. Utilizing these platforms as a key tool for being creative and learning more about the world, many individuals create and spread positive messages to uplift each other’s mood, fostering a healthy online environment. Moreover, short video platforms can have immense positive impacts, helping teens and young adults throughout their adolescent period and beyond. For example, mental health can be promoted on these platforms by educating the youth about the importance of having good mental health. Conveying such values on a larger scale can help the youth resonate and relate with it on a personal level.
Likewise, we can share numerous different ideas through short videos as the opportunities are endless.
From this perspective, the internet and short video platforms can provide both place and people belongingness for the youth. In short, the positive impacts of short video platforms on the youth today are tremendous. The truth is short video platforms can be beneficial for the entire society and are providing a forum for youth development. It has given rise to a new cultural paradigm while changing the way we interact. Across the globe, many short video platforms are allowing young creators and users to create unique and innovative contents while building a safe and creative environment.
Over the years, short video industry has been upscaling with many people turning to short video platforms as a primary source of entertainment, education and inspiration. They offer the opportunity to users to express their views, showcase creative skills and support each other among other productive endeavors.
Today, young people like to express themselves in every possible way and in an inspirational manner among the audience and in this fast-paced world, short video platforms provide users and creators with emotional and personalized experiences. It is true that short video platforms consist of a great talent pool that can be skilled and molded toward creating a better tomorrow. We can leverage these platforms to educate our youth about culture, tradition and basically everything. The unique and caring atmosphere of short video platforms must be leveraged to help shape the minds of our youth and make them fit for the digitized future.
The writer is a lecturer
