Spread of conspiracy theories… Concerns about increasing social division
“After learning about the suspicions of election fraud through YouTube, I started attending rallies. “I don’t understand why my friends who don’t believe in election fraud and my friends who have different political views think that way.”
Mr. Mo (17) said on the 10th that he often attends conservative rallies held in front of Gwanghwamun, Seoul and the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu. Um, these days, I often watch channels of conservative YouTubers. He added, “After seeing the suspicions over and over again, I came to firmly believe that there must be something wrong.”
While President Yoon Seok-yeol is known to enjoy watching far-right YouTube channels, it has been revealed that the main viewers of these channels are not limited to some extreme supporters or the elderly, but span a wide range of age groups. In particular, in the case of famous channels, it was revealed that more people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s (the MZ generation) are watching them than the elderly.
The Dong-A Ilbo analyzed 15 far-right YouTube channels with more than 200,000 subscribers through the website analysis site ‘Nox Influencer’ and found that in 13 channels, the percentage of views from people in their 10s to 40s was higher than the percentage of people in their 50s or older. A far-right YouTube channel with 640,000 subscribers had the highest percentage of views from people aged 18 to 24. Another channel with 1.61 million subscribers was watched by the 25-34 year olds at the highest rate, and the channel with 230,000 subscribers was watched by the 35-44 year olds at the highest rate.
The problem is that many of these channels are spreading unconfirmed false information and conspiracy theories. Recently, not only political party members but also professionals such as civil servants and professors are watching these channels and are even taking collective action based on the content they see, raising the need to respond to content that promotes social division.
“Chinese election intervention” Some professors watched far-right YouTube and held a rally in front of the Chinese embassy
Even MZ-professors are ‘attracted’
After martial law, subscribers to far-right channels tripled… The 1040 ratio is higher than that of those in their 50s or older.
“I am confident even though I don’t know, the ‘Dunning-Kruger effect’… Point out blind belief in false information and deepening social division
“The Democratic Party of Korea signed a party-bilateral agreement with the Chinese Communist Party in 2019. “There is ample evidence that the Chinese Communist Party rigged the election.”
At the ‘Professors Practicing Freedom and Justice’ rally held near the Chinese Embassy in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 9th, a professor stood on the podium and shouted this, and sighs of sympathy echoed from everywhere. This professor’s group has been holding daily rallies in front of the Chinese Embassy since the 2nd of this month. On this day, more than 100 current and emeritus professors gathered, holding the Taegeukgi and the American flag.
A researcher from a famous private university in Seoul who attended the rally said, “During the pre-election period, the National Election Commission manipulated the computer system, and as a result, there are many members of the National Assembly who were elected through fraud.” “We are obtaining facts through YouTube,” he said.
● After martial law, subscribers to far-right channels increased threefold.
After martial law was imposed on December 3, the number of people obtaining information through far-right YouTube channels increased. All 15 channels analyzed through the Nox Influencer site showed an increase of at least 20,000 subscribers after martial law. A YouTube channel that had 280,000 subscribers before martial law saw its number of subscribers roughly triple to 600,000 after martial law. Another channel, which had 160,000 subscribers before martial law, also increased its subscriber count to 230,000.
What is more noticeable is the viewing age group of these channels. In the case of ‘Gong Byeong-ho TV’, which has 688,000 subscribers, the 35-44 year olds accounted for the most views at 23.6%, followed by the 25-34 year olds (22.3%) and 18-24 year olds (19.6%). For ‘God’s Hands’, which has 1.61 million subscribers, people aged 25 to 34 accounted for 24.7% of the total views, followed by people aged 18 to 24 (21.7%), and those aged 35 to 44 (21.4%). ‘Shin In-gyun’s Defense TV’, which has 1.42 million subscribers, also had the most views among people aged 25 to 34, at 26.2%. Those aged 18 to 24 accounted for 25.4%, and those aged 35 to 44 accounted for 19.5%.
Park Hong-jun, co-representative of the Youth Coalition Against Impeachment, which consists of young people who oppose the impeachment of President Yoon Seok-yeol and are in favor of martial law, said, “I watch a lot of channels like Act of God.” He added, “Currently, about 80% of the People Power Party members in their 20s and 30s around me are “I firmly believe in the allegations of election fraud (raised by the YouTube channel),” he said. According to CEO Park, about 18,000 young people have joined this organization, which held an inauguration ceremony two days ago.
Even professors who are considered exemplars of intellectuals have recently been watching these far-right YouTube channels and taking collective action. In the case of the ‘Professors’ Group Practicing Freedom and Justice’, which previously held a rally in front of the Chinese Embassy, the number of members announced by the group reached 123.
● “Overconfidence in self-judgment” ‘Dunning-Kruger effect’
In most cases, suspicions of election fraud that appear on far-right YouTube videos are not true. Nevertheless, experts analyze the popularity of these far-right YouTube channels and the increasing number of people who blindly believe in them as a type of ‘Dunning-Kruger effect’. The Dunning-Kruger effect refers to the tendency to be confident in one’s own information or abilities in a field one is unfamiliar with and to act by overestimating oneself. Kwak Geum-ju, a professor of psychology at Seoul National University, pointed out, “The media environment, where confirmation bias is strengthened due to algorithms such as YouTube, is strengthening this phenomenon.” Earlier this year, the Korean Society and Psychological Personality Association selected the Dunning-Kruger effect as a ‘social psychological phenomenon that Korean society should pay attention to in 2025.’
As this atmosphere spread, even a group of retired civil servants recently took a position calling for an investigation into suspicions of election fraud. On the 8th, the Korea Retired Public Officials Labor Union announced through social networking services (SNS), “We will receive reports from public officials and citizens about election fraud, corruption, espionage, fake progress, disasters, etc. and inform the public of only the truth.”
Experts are concerned that narrow-minded false information and an atmosphere of blind faith in it could further deepen social division. In fact, the conflict between conservative and progressive groups in front of the official residence in Hannam-dong is intensifying. Some participants can be seen asking passersby for ID or swearing harshly at each other, saying they are looking for a ‘frakchi’. A man in his 30s who I met at the scene said, “We are trying to prevent left-wing articles from being ‘examined’ by North Korean comment manipulation forces. “Today, we took down all the left-wing comments,” he said. Experts advise that we must strengthen our response to content containing narrow-minded false information. Choi Hoon-seok, a psychology professor at Sungkyunkwan University, said, “Conspiracy theories are mostly problems with the message, but if the message cannot be resolved, an alternative must be prepared, even at the messenger level.”
What is the Dunning-Kruger effect?
Tendency to overestimate one’s knowledge and abilities. Because they believe their thoughts are accurate based on little experience, they do not realize their errors and have biased thoughts. It was designed by Cornell University professor David Dunning and graduate student Justin Kruger through psychological experiments.