In the digital landscape, the language of ideological and political education for college students acquires new dimensions and faces unique challenges. Through the analysis of survey data from 1,025 college students, employing the K-prototype clustering algorithm and an enhancement of the Apriori algorithm, this study explores the significant influence of language on students’ emotional and cognitive responses. A striking 90% of participants displayed a strong affinity for media promoting patriotic themes, while over 52% regularly engaged in political discourse, highlighting the language’s potent effect on shaping civic attitudes. Nevertheless, the findings also suggest a pressing need to refine the linguistic approach regarding style and substance to maximize educational outcomes. By examining the contemporary role of language in shaping ideological and political perspectives among students, this paper sheds light on avenues for optimizing educational strategies in the Internet era.