Unveiling Digital Literacy Dynamics in Social Media Usage Patterns: Comparison of Digital Skill and Critical Information Behavior

Social media has profoundly transformed human-computer and interpersonal interactions, enabling communication acros temporal and spatial barriers and expanding access to information. Nevertheless, the widespread dissemination of unverified personal content underscores the critical importance of digital literacy in contemporary society. Unvetted content frequently lacks credibility, impeding consumers' critical thinking and exacerbating information overload. Given the indiscriminate sharing of content on platforms like social media, active engagement in critical information searching is paramount. Despite extensive discussions on the digital divide, previous research has primarily concentrated on material access, skills, and technology usage, overlooking consumers' social media usage patterns and digital literacy, especially concerning critical information behavior (CIB). To address this gap, this study draws on data from the Korea Media Panel Survey 2022 and utilizes Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) to classify individuals based on their social media behaviors. LPA's person-centered approach identifies five distinct user groups: light users, lurkers, casual users, likers, and network leaders. Subsequent ANOVA analysis reveals that light users demonstrate the lowest scores in digital device usage skills and CIB, while network leaders exhibit the highest overall scores. However, even among network leaders, there exists a significant deficiency in CIB scores, underscoring the necessity to not only address digital literacy related to usage but also emphasize comprehensive information evaluation skills. This study underscores the need for comprehensive digital literacy education that encompasses both technical skills and critical information evaluation, ensuring individuals can navigate the digital landscape responsibly and effectively.