Do you know the most popular video-sharing website among young people in China? Youku? QQ video?

No! They are Bilibili and AcFun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

AcFun and Bilibili are ACG (Anime, Comic and Games) video-sharing website with a function of bullet screen. Bullet screen allows viewers’ typed comments to zoom across the screen like bullets. It first appeared in on inline video website in Japan and then became an is an emerging craze in China. Bullet screen is popular mainly with the young for its social interactivity.

Bilibili is now becoming more popular than AcFun for its multiple content besides ACGs.

Take Bilibili for instance

The homepage of Bilibili is as shown below.

There are thirteen sections, home, animation, serial comics, music, dance, game, science and technology, entertainment, Kichiku(a fan made movie in which repeating the same scenery with strong background music, see an example), fashion, films and TV dramas, square and live-broadcasting.

Merits

 The biggest advantage of bullet screen is its socializing function. As shown in the screenshot below, you can see how many people are watching this video with you at the same time (see the red square part) and the colorful bullet screen in the video.

After registered as a formal member of Bilibili, you can send your comments as bullet screen in the video you watch. You can decide to put your comments on the top, middle or bottom of the screen. You can change the size and color of your bullet screen. Also bullet screen can be turned off if you think is annoying (see the highlighted part in the red square below).

 

 

 

Bullet screen give the viewer of a feeling of being accompanied with. You might find some bullet screen is exactly what you think about the video. Sometimes, bullet screen can be useful as additional information to understand the video. Bullet screen enable you to chat with people who have similar hobbies while watching videos you are interested in.

Demerits

Freedom of speech on bullet screen might end up with bad consequences. On social media, people’s thoughts and feelings might be amplified as they can be anonymous online. On the bullet screen, it is easier for people to say something aggressive without further thinking. This will possibly lead to verbal attack or even worse.

In order to avoid uncivilized bullet screen, Bilibili asks those who want to register as a formal member to take a test on ethical bullet screen manners. There is also supervision of the sent bullet screen. Those comments contain vulgar words or defamation will be deleted by the website operator.

See the page of ethical bullet screen manners and a test screenshot below.

However, there are millions of bullet screen on Bilibili every day, it is quite difficult for the website operator to regulate.

 

Possible popularity in Western countries?

 Now other video-sharing website in China are imitating Bilibili and Acfun adding bullet screen function on their website.

So… is it possible for bullet screen to emerge into the western culture?

Some people says the different length of language might be an obstacle to introducing the bullet screen into western markets.

I think the popularity of bullet screen is quite promising, as it does make watching online videos more fun. At the same time, certain regulations need to be made for the bullet screen in the future.