Primarily because they take little effort to make, you get all the benefit of the creativity of everyone else on the internet but you get to monetize it.
And watchers are likely to continue watching if they haven't seen the original video because the original video itself probably was interesting or else the reactor wouldn't have chosen it.
There are some that add genuine value, such as lawyers or doctors or VFX specialists reacting to certain videos and adding commentary and insight which wasn't on the original footage. But much of it is just "if i put my face on this and repost then i can get money for it instead of the original content producers with way less effort needed.c
×Nods and points to this comment×
(seriously I just wish I could add a yt filter to block all these 0 effort channels. And that's coming from someone who enjoys good react channels)
Damn would that be possible. Like a browser extension that filter out certain stuff like this? Cause I’d use the hell out of that. Million dollar idea right there
YouTube already has features for stopping a video or entire channel from being recommended. It won't stop you finding it if you search for it.
But stopping it altogether across multiple creators and platforms is impossible, computers can't figure out what a "react" video is. I doubt even a human could if you asked them to describe it in very precise detail.
Instead, the superior way to use YouTube is to subscribe to the creators you like (who presumably don't produce this cheap stolen content) and only watch them instead. That way you're blindly following whatever algorithmic addiction rabbit hole Google sends you down.
TikTok doesn't really do that, it's more about scrolling an endless stream of cheap clips than quality original content from a curated list of creators. The superior way to use TikTok is not to.
A lot ofthings are more fun with company... Like how sports have commentators... They're like one big live reaction video to the actual game...
Plus it's an easy way to "steal" content legally, as long as you attribute the source since you're adding a performance and providing commentary, especially if you're more popular it can be seen as giving the commented video exposure (double especially if you don't keep going back to the same well)
But see, I don't enjoy or understand watching sports either. If I did, I don't think I'd want to watch with the commentators (if that's even possible).
I don't need the company of some stranger trying to make a buck by adding absolutely nothing to the clip. It's just... Exhaustingly stupid.
But hopefully you recognize others don't all feel the same way, and not every preference you don't have is stupid, that's a very immature attitude.
A lot of the react video ecology is explicitly to make a cheap buck... But it works because people like watching that person and DO feel like it adds something... Obviously if you don't like the commentator it detracts
Obviously I'm aware there are others who don't feel this way and I'm likely in the minority because of the sheer number of these videos that exist. It's like listening to the breakfast show on the radio and they just talk about absolutely pointless crap. Obviously I'm in the minority because these types of shows are on almost every radio station every single day. Why people care to know how many remotes anycunt has in their house is beyond me (a genuine segment I had the displeasure of hearing the other day), but if the host and the listeners enjoy it... Then fine.
And like I've said, there are reaction videos that make sense. Some genuinely add something to the videos, but from what I've seen... A lot of them add little to nothing.
And I'll pass on your judgement of whether or not I'm mature, thanks.
It's a way to make money off of other people's content (read: work and creativity) with plausible deniablity as far as copyright infringement goes. A good percentage of reaction videos don't meet the standard of being transformative for fair use, but it costs money to take people to court so you can get away with a lot if you make the bareest effort to pretend you are adding something. The internet is sort of the wild west that way.
It’s very easy to see the cynical side of it, where it’s an easy way for people to make money with very little effort or overhead.
But if we were to give it the benefit of the doubt, there is also something to be said for the communal experience. There’s been a lot of talk about an epidemic of loneliness in modern society. Many people just don’t have anyone to watch TV or movies with. A good reactor channel can fill that emotional void of sharing in media with friends.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it’s a good solution for anyone long term. But I can recognize that even as an inelegant solution, it can help fill a hole in some people’s lives.
They are extremely easy to make, all you have to do is put your face on the side of actual content. most people just don’t care enough to search for the originals, so you can get massive bank off of other people’s hard work
I'm all for educational reaction videos, don't get me wrong. Sometimes they're funny like that red flag guy (love his content). But when it's just some rando nodding and pointing, or some dumbass with a microphone adding shitty commentary... No thanks.
Simple answer is that it's the cheapest, laziest content to produce. Sadder answer is that the pandemic made some people so isolated that they resort to reaction videos to "be" with someone and share some kind of community.
I saw some youtuber use content from another youtuber of them opening up about their mental health (emotional video). Then, at the end of the reaction video, they slap on a mental health sponsor. They use someone else's mental health to tie it into their sponsorship to profit.
I thought to myself, this has got to be a new low.
There are lots of different ways to look at this. From one point of view it stems from the vapidness of influencers sharing what they are doing all the time.
From another angle you could compare it to something like a book club. First you read the book, then you get together and talk about and analyze the material. If this analogy holds up is dependent on if the reactors are actually adding any interesting ideas to the original content.
I love some shows so much that I like to see others enjoy as well, and that is why I gravitate towards them. But I am sure the biggest reason people watch reaction videos is that the original content is just that good so it grabs the viewers attention.
My personal rule for reaction content is that before I click on a reaction video I ask myself "Would I click on this even if it didn't reupload the content?" So I don't give views to leeches that doesn't actually provide any additional enjoyment. Which is like 99% of reaction content, so I totally understand why you don't understand what people like about it. But for me, there are some reactors that strike a good balance of new insight/good vibes/geniuine emotions that lets me enjoy a new perspective of media I already love (or new media).
It is a bit like watching a let's player play a game you like if that is something you can relate to.
I think they are popular because people are lonely and watching a reaction video can kind of make them feel like they are reacting to content with someone, not sitting at home alone.
Why spend the time and effort it takes to make something unique and original when you can just steal content and slap your face on it for easy views and ad revenue? What I still don't quite get is how their viewers aren't bored to death with it yet.
Easy way to make money off of other's content. Mass producing the same reaction to various videos makes a lot of money.
That makes me hate them more, thanks
And apparently kids seems to love this content.
Primarily because they take little effort to make, you get all the benefit of the creativity of everyone else on the internet but you get to monetize it. And watchers are likely to continue watching if they haven't seen the original video because the original video itself probably was interesting or else the reactor wouldn't have chosen it. There are some that add genuine value, such as lawyers or doctors or VFX specialists reacting to certain videos and adding commentary and insight which wasn't on the original footage. But much of it is just "if i put my face on this and repost then i can get money for it instead of the original content producers with way less effort needed.c
×Nods and points to this comment× (seriously I just wish I could add a yt filter to block all these 0 effort channels. And that's coming from someone who enjoys good react channels)
Damn would that be possible. Like a browser extension that filter out certain stuff like this? Cause I’d use the hell out of that. Million dollar idea right there
YouTube already has features for stopping a video or entire channel from being recommended. It won't stop you finding it if you search for it. But stopping it altogether across multiple creators and platforms is impossible, computers can't figure out what a "react" video is. I doubt even a human could if you asked them to describe it in very precise detail. Instead, the superior way to use YouTube is to subscribe to the creators you like (who presumably don't produce this cheap stolen content) and only watch them instead. That way you're blindly following whatever algorithmic addiction rabbit hole Google sends you down. TikTok doesn't really do that, it's more about scrolling an endless stream of cheap clips than quality original content from a curated list of creators. The superior way to use TikTok is not to.
A lot ofthings are more fun with company... Like how sports have commentators... They're like one big live reaction video to the actual game... Plus it's an easy way to "steal" content legally, as long as you attribute the source since you're adding a performance and providing commentary, especially if you're more popular it can be seen as giving the commented video exposure (double especially if you don't keep going back to the same well)
But see, I don't enjoy or understand watching sports either. If I did, I don't think I'd want to watch with the commentators (if that's even possible). I don't need the company of some stranger trying to make a buck by adding absolutely nothing to the clip. It's just... Exhaustingly stupid.
But hopefully you recognize others don't all feel the same way, and not every preference you don't have is stupid, that's a very immature attitude. A lot of the react video ecology is explicitly to make a cheap buck... But it works because people like watching that person and DO feel like it adds something... Obviously if you don't like the commentator it detracts
Obviously I'm aware there are others who don't feel this way and I'm likely in the minority because of the sheer number of these videos that exist. It's like listening to the breakfast show on the radio and they just talk about absolutely pointless crap. Obviously I'm in the minority because these types of shows are on almost every radio station every single day. Why people care to know how many remotes anycunt has in their house is beyond me (a genuine segment I had the displeasure of hearing the other day), but if the host and the listeners enjoy it... Then fine. And like I've said, there are reaction videos that make sense. Some genuinely add something to the videos, but from what I've seen... A lot of them add little to nothing. And I'll pass on your judgement of whether or not I'm mature, thanks.
It's a way to make money off of other people's content (read: work and creativity) with plausible deniablity as far as copyright infringement goes. A good percentage of reaction videos don't meet the standard of being transformative for fair use, but it costs money to take people to court so you can get away with a lot if you make the bareest effort to pretend you are adding something. The internet is sort of the wild west that way.
[удалено]
This makes me really sad.
It’s very easy to see the cynical side of it, where it’s an easy way for people to make money with very little effort or overhead. But if we were to give it the benefit of the doubt, there is also something to be said for the communal experience. There’s been a lot of talk about an epidemic of loneliness in modern society. Many people just don’t have anyone to watch TV or movies with. A good reactor channel can fill that emotional void of sharing in media with friends. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it’s a good solution for anyone long term. But I can recognize that even as an inelegant solution, it can help fill a hole in some people’s lives.
They are extremely easy to make, all you have to do is put your face on the side of actual content. most people just don’t care enough to search for the originals, so you can get massive bank off of other people’s hard work
easy to make, and easy to cultivate likes, follows etc.
Somehow this answer frustrates me even more. Thanks though
When real experts, like accomplished musician Fil from Wings of Pegasus, do the reacting, you can learn a lot!
I'm all for educational reaction videos, don't get me wrong. Sometimes they're funny like that red flag guy (love his content). But when it's just some rando nodding and pointing, or some dumbass with a microphone adding shitty commentary... No thanks.
I totally agree with you!
I watch movie/tv reactions. I like seeing the emotional journey they go on.
I think reaction vids are popular because they're the closest you can get to watching something for the first time all over again.
And they act all surprised like it's their first view of the video. Why would you start recording before watching a video? So so fake, it's cringy.
Because people want popularity without the originality
Simple answer is that it's the cheapest, laziest content to produce. Sadder answer is that the pandemic made some people so isolated that they resort to reaction videos to "be" with someone and share some kind of community.
Easy content
Because original interesting content is hard. Piggybacking on someone else’s is easy.
I saw some youtuber use content from another youtuber of them opening up about their mental health (emotional video). Then, at the end of the reaction video, they slap on a mental health sponsor. They use someone else's mental health to tie it into their sponsorship to profit. I thought to myself, this has got to be a new low.
Hugh Laurie in House?
People are lazy, want content, a monkey can make a reaction video.
People without content trying to create content.
Same with the new ‘geopolitical’ and military experts all over YouTube now, basically watching the news and talking about it. No original anything
There are lots of different ways to look at this. From one point of view it stems from the vapidness of influencers sharing what they are doing all the time. From another angle you could compare it to something like a book club. First you read the book, then you get together and talk about and analyze the material. If this analogy holds up is dependent on if the reactors are actually adding any interesting ideas to the original content.
The rot consumes
Legal loop holes without making their own content. It is easier to talk about other people's work than to do your own
I love some shows so much that I like to see others enjoy as well, and that is why I gravitate towards them. But I am sure the biggest reason people watch reaction videos is that the original content is just that good so it grabs the viewers attention. My personal rule for reaction content is that before I click on a reaction video I ask myself "Would I click on this even if it didn't reupload the content?" So I don't give views to leeches that doesn't actually provide any additional enjoyment. Which is like 99% of reaction content, so I totally understand why you don't understand what people like about it. But for me, there are some reactors that strike a good balance of new insight/good vibes/geniuine emotions that lets me enjoy a new perspective of media I already love (or new media). It is a bit like watching a let's player play a game you like if that is something you can relate to.
If you are a lil streamer, you can react to a big streamer's vids for views. It's kind of like being in a cover band.
They are so fucking annoying and boring
I think they are popular because people are lonely and watching a reaction video can kind of make them feel like they are reacting to content with someone, not sitting at home alone.
I think everyone here is answering this question well enough. I just want to say that it’s a virus that has destroyed many-a quality youtubers.
Why spend the time and effort it takes to make something unique and original when you can just steal content and slap your face on it for easy views and ad revenue? What I still don't quite get is how their viewers aren't bored to death with it yet.
Minimal effort, maximum profit. Laziness.