Analysis of the present and future of the Korea online platform regulation using latent dirichlet allocation

Purpose: This study was conducted to provide a comprehensive understanding of online platform regulation in South Korea. It aims to illuminate key issues related to online platform regulation from 2017 to 2021, exploring the current state and future prospects. The primary goal is to foster social discourse on online platform regulation and to offer valuable insights for policymakers and academics. Design/methodology/approach: The methodology involved collecting articles from a large news database using keywords associated with online platform regulation. This data was analyzed using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modeling. This technique is instrumental in identifying themes and patterns within large volumes of text data, facilitating the identification of significant themes and trends related to online platform regulation. Findings: The study unearthed a variety of themes. Among the most significant are the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its ramifications, political aspects, the roles of major Korean corporations (e.g., Naver and Kakao), the influence of global tech giants, the impact of news and online communities, technology and innovation, and social issues. These themes indicate that online platform regulation in Korea is influenced by a multitude of factors. Research limitations/implications: While this study offers diverse perspectives on online platform regulation within Korea, it has limitations. Reliance on data from a single news source may restrict the study's diversity and depth. Future research should employ a variety of news sources to provide a broader perspective on online platform regulation. Originality/value: This research makes a significant contribution to the academic study and policy formulation in the field by analyzing the key themes and trends related to online platform regulation over time. By exploring the complex aspects of online platform regulation, the study provides new insights for policymakers, researchers, and the general public.