Incheon National University Professor Tae-hoon Kim Publishes Paper in World-Renowned Academic Journal 'Technological Forecasting & Social Change'

Professor Tae-hoon Kim of the Management Information Systems (MIS) major in the Department of Business Administration, in collaboration with Professor Seung Hwan Lee of Ajou University and Professor Tong Wu of Western Kentucky University, has published a research study in the world-renowned international academic journal Technological Forecasting & Social Change. The published paper, titled "From Dislikes to Discourse: The Effects of Concealing Negative Feedback on Comment Behaviors in YouTube," is scheduled to be included in Volume 229, set for publication in August 2026.

Technological Forecasting & Social Change is a world-leading SSCI journal covering technological innovation, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, platforms, information technology, and future social changes. It holds international prestige with an Impact Factor of 13.3, a CiteScore of 30.5, and a Journal Citation Reports (JCR) ranking in the top 1% (99.091%).

This study empirically analyzed the impact of YouTube’s interface policy changes—the world's largest video platform—on user behavior online. Investigating YouTube's policy shift to hide public "dislike counts," the research team revealed that removing the visibility of negative feedback led to an increase in both the frequency and length of user comments, while also intensifying negative e-x-p-r-e-s-s-i-o-ns within comments. Furthermore, this effect was found to be more pronounced in content with high analytical complexity and in videos with lower popularity.

The significance of this study lies in empirically establishing that user interface (UI) design and feedback mechanisms provided on digital platforms exert a substantial influence on user communication patterns and engagement behaviors. Notably, by demonstrating that simply hiding negative feedback from the screen does not reduce online negativity but rather displaces negative e-x-p-r-e-s-s-i-o-ns to other interactive channels such as comments, the study sheds new light on how platform design shapes online discourse and user behavior.

This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the relationship between digital platform design and user behavior in the field of MIS. It also offers vital academic and practical implications for platform management policies, online community moderation, and AI-driven digital service design. Conducted on the YouTube platform utilized by billions worldwide, this study represents a meaningful achievement that highlights the academic value and social importance of MIS research in explaining and predicting user behavior in a digital society through data-driven empirical analysis. This research was supported by an Incheon National University research grant (Project No.: 2024-0433).

The Department of Business Administration within the College of Business Administration at Incheon National University will continue to conduct world-class research in artificial intelligence, digital platforms, information systems, and digital innovation, contributing to international academic advancement and addressing social issues.