Open Net Korea, in collaboration with the Inclusive Society Research Institute, conducted a survey to examine the current state of digital media literacy among senior citizens in South Korea. Older generations generally face difficulties in using digital devices and are more vulnerable to various online risks, including phishing and misinformation. As political polarization deepened following former President Yoon Suk-yeol’s martial declaration and the subsequent impeachment proceedings, the research focused on understanding how extensively senior citizens with low digital media literacy are exposed to extreme political content on platforms such as YouTube.
A survey was administered to 313 senior citizens with differing political views on the impeachment, followed by focus group interviews. The majority (over 97%) perceived political polarization in Korea as extremely serious. Senior citizens showed high levels of media consumption not only through television but also through YouTube and portal-based news. YouTube use was widespread even among those aged 60 and above.
Clear differences emerged regarding democratic norms: respondents who did not use YouTube were more likely to agree that the impeachment ruling should be respected, while YouTube users—regardless of political stance—showed significantly lower acceptance of this norm. YouTube use also proved to be a stronger predictor of belief in misinformation than political ideology. Users were far more likely to consider debunked claims—such as alleged organized election fraud or exaggerated narratives about martial law—to be true. Additionally, participation in political rallies strongly correlated with frequent YouTube use across both political camps.
In the focus group interviews, although politically extreme groups did not participate, showing fact-checking examples helped participants reconsider and correct misunderstandings. Drawing on these findings, the research emphasized the need for media literacy interventions targeting older adults. However, the conventional “education programs” would likely have low participation rates. Instead, we, the research team, recommend short-form informational content—such as YouTube Shorts—that avoids the formal framing of “education.” We also argue that rather than emphasizing punitive legislation on misinformation, the Korean government should align with global trends by strengthening fact-checking and increasing platform accountability.
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