Short videos, big impact: How Chinese youth perceive and engage with news on short video platforms

In the contemporary media landscape in China, short video platforms (SVP) have emerged as significant news sources, especially among young audiences. Anchored in an understanding of news literacy as situated knowledge, this study investigates how Chinese youth (aged 13–18) perceive and engage with news content on these platforms. Based on qualitative interviews with 30 middle and high school students across five provinces in China, we found that 1) participants wanted short video news to be objective and straightforward, and felt that the affordances of short video platforms detract from these values; 2) they reported using news literacy skills when consuming short video news, but the strategies they shared were problematic; and 3) they were reluctant to engage with news content online and preferred to discuss it offline with people they trust. This study sheds light on the complex and often contradictory news consumption engagement and practices among Chinese youth on SVPs.