Expression on Face book: Is It a Reflection of Indonesian Culture?

by
Ika Karlina Idris, Kurniawaty Yusuf, Rini Sudarmanti [1]


Internet penetration in Indonesia is still low. Only about 10% of the population or about 25 million people are internet users. Among this, the face booker (people who have account on facebok.com) reached 11.7 million people. According to checkfacebook.com, on November 2009, Indonesia is one of the top 10 ‘Fastest Growing over Past Week’ and 10 ‘Largest Countries Facebook Users’. Alexa.com also noticed that Indonesian people are also the most active face booker in the world.

If we analyze it more carefully; there is a tendency of cultural shift, that in turns affect the existing culture and social norm in Indonesia community. There is a shift in the communications culture of Indonesian society, from high to low context. In high-context cultures, messages tend to be implied and convey implicit with various meaning or considerations, particularly harmonious relationship. Whereas in low-context cultures tend communicate through explicit verbal messages.

From studying limited observation, and interviews, we conclude that cultural shift—from high to low context—has implications for the communication of their way of looking at and addressing the conflict. Interpersonal conflicts which had been taboo in high-context culture have become more unwrap with a face book. Tools like comments, photo album, and wall make Indonesia people more active and wide openly in expressing ideas and thoughts.

Friendly user technology supporting the growth of face booker’s mania. Therefore interpersonal communication will be more complex than before. Transferring message will be bounded by face book as media of expressing ideas. As the consequences, people spoiled by the presence of face book. They tend to not aware anymore with where they should be communicated in individual context and which one is in public sphere. There are no clear boundaries. In fact, we found many cases describing that situation. Husband and wife quarrel each other, boy or girlfriend, between families, and friends become public consumption and everyone can see or even join it. Of course, this is not a picture of cultural Indonesian people who have great respect and appreciate the presence of others around him.

Our finding discussion concluded that we cannot avoid the impact of the development of technology and social impact that accompanying it. But to maintain peaceful society and prevent nation identity, there should be policies that regulate or be a notification of social relations for face bookers in Indonesia. Those policies should be socialized properly to ensure the implementation of it.

[1] A group of researcher and lecturers of Communication Science
University of Paramadina, Jakarta

**this research has been presented on ICR 2009, in BALI
you can check other paper in this http://www.chaosware.com/appliedchaos/icr2009/?v=program