Third International Conference on Communication & Media Studies

Abstract

Current research is focused on technological influence on social structures and practices, particularly, on YouTube effects on content consumers. The study relies on the framework of affordances theory merged with uses and gratifications approach. Applying affordance theory, we structure the research to find out the drivers for technological shift: consumption patterns, digital architecture and aspects of user engagement. Moreover, integrating uses and gratifications approach to research design we depict motivations of users to consume the content and engage in digital communication. Data has been collected through two consequent stages: first an online survey was run to gather the data regarding main trends of media consumption (N=347, university students, convenient sample). For the second stage, we conducted 40 in-depth interviews with content consumers of YouTube. The research depicts and discusses major motifs of users: entertainment, parasocial connection with bloggers and searches for new information. Still, the perceived affordances of the platform structure usage patterns, as individuals are focused on the content consumption and tend to avoid further discussion or online interaction with the interface or other users. On the contrary, YouTube is perceived as the trusted source of information, which is further taken to the offline or familiar for the user online surrounding. The study opens the discussion on the further potential of YouTube as a collaborative platform for societal change and argues on the influence of digital culture to the practices of elaboration and deliberation of information.