STREAMING APPS AS MIRRORS 

It is still 2020. Most probably, people are sick of hearing updates on COVID-19, news on the Philippine government and its controversies, and other matters unpleasant to the ears. Perhaps to kill time, young and old alike have turned to entertainment and the arts for solace.

As a treat at the onset of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) back in March, Netflix even launched a mobile-only monthly plan in the Philippines for only 149 pesos. Consequently, the streaming service company further widened its viewership base. This development allows more people to ride on the latest fads and trends of television and film. For instance, more people get to fancy their ultimate fantasies through actors, actresses, and plotlines from the wide watercolor-like array of Korean or Western movies and TV shows all over the internet. People can now relate to memes referenced after the top films and TV shows in many video streaming platforms. Suffice it to say, more and more people are "in."

Endlessly watching TV and film in new media platforms like video streaming applications may not directly combat the coronavirus-related problems of the world. It keeps us from coming out of our houses, thereby reducing our risk of acquiring the deadly virus. Most importantly, what keeps people sane during these uncertain times is extensive and more frequent access to media and entertainment.

Gone are the days when people across ages resorted to the radio and the TV for entertainment. These were times when there was only one remote control, and the most powerful in the household got to call the shots—which channel to watch, at what time, and who sat with him when he watched; not everybody in the house had a choice. The present time is drastically different, however. Many have access to a smartphone with an installed video streaming app. Everyone now has the power, and it rests on the user's fingertips. 

But another significant matter to discuss is what do video streaming app choices say about their viewers?

What Netflix, YouTube, or whatever platform suggests to each user is a reflection of his choices, hence providing a more personalized menu. For instance, after binge-watching a whole season of a romantic KDrama series, viewers will see more coming to the menu, just waiting to be next selected. After watching a few Japanese animated films, viewers will find more series to be like them in the recommendations tab. While people become happy, at least for a short while, because of these happily-ever-afters and poetic justice narratives (i.e., hero defeats evil), this should never be the start of any perpetual cycles of blind viewing, where one has succumbed to the power of the internet, the media, and the smartphone. 

Media preferences and consumptions are still human choices. People never finish an episode, more so even last for thirty seconds, of a video they do not like. Given this, people need to be mindful that the shows and the films they watch are a reflection of their interests, ideas, and worldviews. Consider this, maybe the reason why people are captivated by happily-ever-afters and poetic justice narratives is that they relate to the struggles of the protagonists. Notice that back in the pre-YouTube and pre-Netflix era, when the TV saw no other competition, soap operas and action genres dominated the programming. Practically all competing TV networks had their versions and their own narratives of these shows. TV producers noticed that people have always related to such formulas of entertainment, incentivizing them to continue making more of these shows. No wonder Cardo appears unbeatable and immortal, while Maya and Sir Chief took around two years to be careful with each other's hearts.

Perhaps there is more to what we think about these typical sections of the YouTube and Netflix interfaces. Maybe the next time people would get the spare time to open these apps and de-stress after loads of paperwork and asynchronous tasks, they should consider asking why these recommendations appear on their menus in the first place. It is high time that these new media platforms greatly help users develop not just their tastes and choices, but also their discernment and introspective abilities.

These apps are not just portals to universes, they are mirrors to help people examine themselves further.