Daum Revives Real-Time Search Trends: What You Need to Know About This Major Update

Here’s the [translateContent] with numerical and financial data converted based on the information in [originContent]:

In a significant move, South Korean web portal Daum has reintroduced its “Real-Time Issue Search” service after a six-year break. The company claims to have implemented various technological improvements to address previous concerns, including the manipulation of public opinion, incitement of social discord, and exposure of potentially defamatory keywords.

According to AXZ, Kakao’s subsidiary that manages Daum, the beta version of the new “Real-Time Trend” service was launched on the 3rd. This feature, prominently displayed in the top right corner of Daum’s homepage, showcases the top 10 popular search terms, with rankings updated every 10 minutes. AXZ stated that the service aims to deliver rapidly changing issues more swiftly and accurately to users.

The reintroduction of Daum’s real-time search feature comes six years after its discontinuation in February 2020. Originally launched in 2005, the service was designed to highlight trending topics in real-time. However, it faced persistent criticism for its potential to distort public opinion, manipulate trends, and facilitate defamation. Consequently, Daum terminated the service in 2020, followed by Naver in 2021, effectively removing this feature from South Korea’s two major web portals. At the time, Kakao acknowledged that while the Real-Time Issue Search should reflect users’ genuine interests and societal trends, it had instead become a catalyst for events rather than a mirror of them.

Daum emphasizes that the new Real-Time Trend incorporates advanced technologies to prevent the recurrence of past issues. Moving beyond simple search volume metrics, the company has implemented an integrated system that analyzes multiple data sources, including news articles, search logs, and web documents. AXZ’s stated goal is to present current interests with greater context, including information relevant to daily life and public safety.

The new service integrates technologies from previously developed features like AI Issue Briefing and Today Bubble. AI Issue Briefing, introduced in August 2022 as an alternative to the discontinued real-time search, used clustering techniques on Daum News to summarize major issues. Today Bubble, launched in May 2023, detected sudden surges in specific topics across public web pages to highlight emerging interests. However, these services were criticized for not fully meeting users’ expectations regarding immediately relevant information. Consequently, Daum has discontinued AI Issue Briefing and incorporated its functionalities into Real-Time Trend.

To combat opinion and ranking manipulation, Daum has implemented several safeguards. The system now counts multiple searches of the same keyword by a single user as one search and filters out abnormal patterns associated with bots and automated programs. Daum has also committed to cross-verifying reactions from multiple sources and temporarily halting real-time updates if unusual activity is detected.

In efforts to counter misinformation and commercial exploitation, Daum is applying AI solutions to keyword extraction and management. The company is also expanding its monitoring resources to maintain a robust review system. Multiple review stages, including AI-powered filtering and increased human oversight, will be employed to prevent the display of keywords related to pornography, gambling, or potential defamation.

Addressing concerns about electoral influence, Daum has outlined specific rules for local elections. Starting 60 days before an election, the system will exclude keywords associated with registered candidates and related individuals from the rankings. AXZ acknowledged that previous iterations of real-time searches were criticized for exacerbating conflicts and social divisions during election periods. The new Real-Time Trend aims to preemptively block channels that could potentially spark viral misinformation.

During the beta phase, the service will be suspended from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. to mitigate the risk of data manipulation. AXZ emphasized that Real-Time Trend is not a mere revival of the old real-time search but a refined product incorporating lessons learned from services developed since the feature’s initial discontinuation. The company aims to cover a broader range of topics while proactively preventing misuse and presenting information in an accessible, intuitive manner for users.

In addition to these functional changes, Daum has also undergone a visual transformation. The company has reverted its logo from a monochrome design back to its original four-color scheme of red, yellow, blue, and green. The portal’s Home tab has been redesigned, featuring new widgets for sports broadcasts, community discussions, and Game On Daum. The layout now includes dedicated sections for users to quickly access top news stories, live coverage, and real-time market updates, enhancing the overall user experience and information accessibility.