What do TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and Snapchat have in common?


They’re all platforms that thrive on short-form content—videos or posts typically under 60 seconds long. In just a few taps, you can scroll through dozens, sometimes hundreds, of fast-paced clips in a matter of minutes. Funny animals. Food hacks. Dance challenges. Motivational quotes. Reaction videos.

This format has exploded in popularity in the past five years. Apps like TikTok went from niche to mainstream almost overnight. In fact, by 2025, over 75% of U.S. teens and young adults report watching short videos daily.

What’s behind this shift? And why does it matter?

What Is Short-Form Content?

📲 Speed + Surprise = Attention

Short-form content works by constantly offering novelty—new faces, ideas, or jokes every few seconds. It keeps your brain guessing.
Most of these videos are:

Less than 60 seconds (often 15-30 sec)

Edited with fast cuts, subtitles, sounds, filters

Geared to go viral by sparking a reaction (“Wait for it!” or “POV…”)

You’ve probably noticed: once you start watching, it’s hard to stop. The feed is infinite. That’s not an accident—it’s designed that way. These platforms are powered by algorithms that learn what you like, so they can keep serving it. Every scroll gives the platform more data about you—what holds your interest, what you skip, what you rewatch.

⏳ How is this different from other media?

Compare that to:

Watching a 2-hour movie

Reading a chapter of a novel

Listening to a podcast

These activities require sustained attention—you’re immersed in one thing for a while. With short-form content, you’re jumping constantly from one thing to the next. That jumpiness is key to the experience—and it’s part of what scientists are now studying more closely.

📺 Local Connection: How Santa Barbara is Engaged

UCSB media studies professors have been tracking how local high school and college students use short-form content. Many report:

Trouble focusing on lectures or reading

“Phantom vibrations” or anxiety when phones are put away

Difficulty completing homework without breaks for content

Local middle schools are even exploring “No Phone Fridays” to help reset student focus.

🧠 Try It Yourself!

🖱️ Interactive Activity:

Video Speed Timeline :

🔍 Challenge Yourself:

Can you go 5 minutes without reaching for your phone? Set a timer. Then try again after watching short-form videos. Which felt harder?