Cultural Values and Cross-cultural Video Consumption on YouTube

TL;DR

This study examines how cultural values influence the consumption of popular YouTube videos across 58 countries, revealing that cultural differences constrain global convergence despite widespread access.

Contribution

It provides empirical evidence that cultural values, rather than technological access alone, shape cross-cultural video consumption patterns on YouTube.

Findings

Cultural values constrain global video consumption patterns.

Cosmopolitan countries show more cross-cultural convergence.

Individualism and power inequality facilitate convergence.

Abstract

Video-sharing social media like YouTube provide access to diverse cultural products from all over the world, making it possible to test theories that the Web facilitates global cultural convergence. Drawing on a daily listing of YouTube's most popular videos across 58 countries, we investigate the consumption of popular videos in countries that differ in cultural values, language, gross domestic product, and Internet penetration rate. Although online social media facilitate global access to cultural products, we find this technological capability does not result in universal cultural convergence. Instead, consumption of popular videos in culturally different countries appears to be constrained by cultural values. Cross-cultural convergence is more advanced in cosmopolitan countries with cultural values that favor individualism and power inequality.