Reaction channels and the loneliness epidemic
would you pay someone to watch your favorite movie?
In case you don’t know what reaction channels are, they are a YouTube niche where people film themselves watching something. There are two main types of reaction channels: The ones that react to other YouTube and TikTok content, and the ones that react to mainstream media like TV shows, movies, music, etc. The discussion around this niche often focuses on the first kind of reactors, and the ethics of what they do. These “creators” have been criticized for re-uploading other people’s content, skirting the line of what constitutes fair use. Since that topic has been discussed at length elsewhere, I will be focusing on why people watch this sort of content. There are a couple main things that I find interesting to talk about, these being the way in which we interact with media nowadays, and the way in which reaction channels provide a sense of community in an increasingly lonely world.
The first reason why I think reaction channels are popular has to do with the relationship between audiences and the entertainment industry. It’s not revolutionary to point out that there’s been a change in the way we interact with art in the age of social media. Shows and movies are made to be consumed quickly, and to be easy to understand to as wide an audience as possible. “Consumed” is the key word there. You are supposed to watch 8 episodes of a show, talk about it for a week, and then move on to the next big thing. The same goes for movies, music, games, etc.
Viewers are not encouraged to have meaningful conversations about whatever they are watching, they just need to sit down and put on whatever the algorithm tells them to watch, and they are not expected to pay attention to the screen. Art has become background noise, pure and simple.
Reactions are just an extension of that. We have all seen the memes about needing to watch something on YouTube while eating, and reactions perfectly fulfill that role of vapid, meaningless junk to put on while you are distracted with something else. It’s not surprising that the big reaction channels are always covering the same shows and movies the other channels are, because they are also governed by the algorithm, and their personal taste hardly influences what they decide to watch.
Reaction channels are a direct consequence of the fast food model of media consumption. We need to fill every second of our days distracted in some way, and we don’t want to waste time choosing what to distract ourselves with.
The most popular reactors have been active for years, their audience growing steadily over time, but there’s a huge amount of channels that started right around 2020 and got a following fast.
While social connection had been declining for decades prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the onset of the pandemic, with its lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, was a critical time during which the issue of connection came to the forefront of public consciousness, raising awareness about this critical and ongoing public health concern.
Many of us felt lonely or isolated in a way we had never experienced before. (Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation, p. 22)
The connection between the pandemic and the spike in reaction channels is no coincidence. The simple truth is that people like watching shows and movies with their friends, and not everyone is able to do that. The pandemic made this the reality for most people, but for some this loneliness was already part of their lives. If you are a socially awkward person who doesn’t have other people to share your interests with, reaction channels are made for you. The entire model of reaction content relies on building the idea that you are watching something with someone, that these people can replace real friendships.
Do these channels prey on lonely people? Kind of. Reactors need to build parasocial relationships with their audience in order to sustain themselves. Viewers will become Patreon members and pay reactors to watch their favorite shows and movies, because they want to share these things with someone, and a reactor’s job is to literally watch the things people pay them to. You can’t force your friends to watch your favorite show, but you can pay someone on YouTube to do it.
Especially if you are into things that aren’t so mainstream.
On a recent episode of the Reactorverse, a podcast dedicated to interviewing reactors, they talked with Yaboyroshi, one of the biggest anime reaction channels. The host asks him what does he think is the value of reaction content, and Roshi’s answer is that a lot of people simply don’t have friends around them who share their interest in anime, and reactors allow them to find a community by gathering others who are into the same things.
Technology has evolved rapidly, and the evidence around its impact on our relationships has been complex. Each type of technology, the way in which it is used, and the characteristics of who is using it, needs to be considered when determining how it may contribute to greater or reduced risk for social disconnection. (Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation, p. 20)
I watch reaction content. It’s a waste of time that could better be utilized on writing or reading, or watching the hundreds of shows and movies that for some reason I never get around to watching. I’m a little lonely too, most people are. There’s nothing shameful in finding solace in reaction content, but I think it’s important to acknowledge why we watch it in the first place. If I had more friends who were willing to watch my favorite anime shows, I wouldn’t be on YouTube as much.
The popularity of these channels is just a small symptom of bigger issues regarding media literacy, how we consume entertainment, and interpersonal relationships. The discussion focuses so much on whether it’s ethical to create this type of content that the reasons why people watch it are going largely unremarked upon.
I do think reaction channels give people a sense of community, but they can’t be a substitute for real interactions and connections. There are healthier, more productive and enriching ways to connect with other people, both on and off the internet. Falling into this side of YouTube is just the easy way out—both for the viewers and the creators.
Thank you for reading!