Abstract

This study analyzes how digital divide is discussed in YouTube video content, one of the major social media platforms. Basic statistical analysis was conducted on collected YouTube video data, and LDA topic modeling was applied to the speech text. The category analysis by year showed that the ‘News/Politics’ category had the highest number of uploaded videos. Additionally, videos with the most views, likes, and comments were all posted in 2024. Topic modeling identified five key themes: 1) digital technology and services for people with disabilities, 2) digital divide in education and solutions to bridge educational gaps, 3) enhancing digital literacy among the elderly and reducing information inequality, 4) social issues caused by the digital divide across age groups, 5) public projects and support measures to address digital divide. Among these, ‘Social issues caused by the digital divide across age groups’ had the highest data volume, followed by ‘public projects and support measures,’ which also showed a significant share. These two topics, along with ‘Enhancing digital literacy among the elderly,’ received the highest user engagement in terms of views, comments, and likes. This suggests strong public interest in the societal impact of the digital divide and initiatives to improve digital literacy, particularly among older adults.