Copyright (c) 2026 Imran Khan, Nilima Khatun, A.B.M. Saiful Islam
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Examining How Digital Divides Shape Social Media Platform Preference and Usage in Climate-Vulnerable Coastal Bangladesh
Corresponding Author(s) : Imran Khan
Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities,
Vol. 3 No. 3 (2026): July
Abstract
This study investigates the influence of demographic disparities on social media usage patterns among climate-vulnerable, resource-constrained coastal communities, based on Digital Divide Theory. The study specifically examines whether age, sex, education level, and household income correlate with social media usage patterns. Social media usage was defined by platform preference, usage duration, and visit frequency. A quantitative research design was used with a stratified, randomly selected sample of 384 from Khulna and Satkhira. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, Kruskal–Wallis H, and chi-square tests. The results show significant demographic disparities in digital engagement. Age was significantly associated with platform preference, usage duration, and visiting frequency, with younger respondents being the most engaged. Significant gender differences were also observed regarding usage duration and visiting frequency, while education level was significantly correlated with platform preference and usage duration. Household income was significantly associated with only secondary platform preference, although higher-income groups tended to demonstrate higher social media engagement. The findings suggest that alongside digital access, patterns and intensity of digital engagement are influenced by demographic inequalities. The study extends the Digital Divide Theory by demonstrating that digital inequalities persist even within increasingly connected communities. It highlights the importance of demographic-sensitive communication strategies in disaster management and development communication in climate-vulnerable coastal contexts. However, the cross-sectional quantitative design and the exclusion of behavioral and contextual variables such as digital literacy, smartphone ownership, and cultural norms, which may influence the social media engagement pattern, are important limitations of the study.
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- This study investigates the influence of demographic disparities on social media usage patterns among climate-vulnerable, resource-constrained coastal communities, based on Digital Divide Theory. The study specifically examines whether age, sex, education level, and household income correlate with social media usage patterns. Social media usage was defined by platform preference, usage duration, and visit frequency. A quantitative research design was used with a stratified, randomly selected sample of 384 from Khulna and Satkhira. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, Kruskal–Wallis H, and chi-square tests. The results show significant demographic disparities in digital engagement. Age was significantly associated with platform preference, usage duration, and visiting frequency, with younger respondents being the most engaged. Significant gender differences were also observed regarding usage duration and visiting frequency, while education level was significantly correlated with platform preference and usage duration. Household income was significantly associated with only secondary platform preference, although higher-income groups tended to demonstrate higher social media engagement. The findings suggest that alongside digital access, patterns and intensity of digital engagement are influenced by demographic inequalities. The study extends the Digital Divide Theory by demonstrating that digital inequalities persist even within increasingly connected communities. It highlights the importance of demographic-sensitive communication strategies in disaster management and development communication in climate-vulnerable coastal contexts. However, the cross-sectional quantitative design and the exclusion of behavioral and contextual variables such as digital literacy, smartphone ownership, and cultural norms, which may influence the social media engagement pattern, are important limitations of the study.