A Case Study of Social Media Reach and Sentiment Analysis on Karo Ethnic Identity: #karobukanbatak

Abstract

This study investigates the sentiment expressedin the #karobukanbatak discussions on social media to understand public attitudes towards the cultural aspects of the Karo people in North Sumatra. By employing Deep Learning and Pretrained Language Models (PLM), the research analyze show people perceive and respond to various forms of communication and cultural expressions by the Karo ethnicity. Data was collected from multiple social media platforms and analyzed through natural language processing and statistical analysis. The findings reveal a significant rise in the volume and reach of #karobukanbatak on social and non-social media platforms, with positive sentiments dominating up to 90.008% of all mentions. Platforms such as TikTok, Karogaul.com, YouTube, and sorasirulo.com were identified as key venues for these discussions. Additionally, certain public accounts and profiles were more active in discussing or sharing information related to the topic, highlighting the importance of the 'Karobukanbatak' concept in establishing the distinctive ethnic character of North Sumatra. The implications of these findings are significant, as they demonstrate how social media plays a crucial role in shaping and comprehending public perceptions and sentiments regarding cultural identity