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51
SOCIAL MEDIA PHENOMENA WITH NEGATIVE CONTENTS
Chontina Siahaan
*
, Laras Nadiananda Iswari, Nova Betriani Sinambela
Indonesian Cristian University, Indonesia
chontinasiahaan58@gmail.com
Abstract
Social media is very trending used among teenagers to communicate. The information contained is not
only in a positive form but is conveyed also in negative forms such as sexual harassment. The study's
problem is to find out why teens are sexually harassed through social media. The purpose of this study
was to find out the forms of sexual abuse committed by adolescents and how to overcome them.
Research methods are qualitatively descriptive with critical paradigms. The informant of this study is a
teenagers as perpetrators and victims of sexual abuse. Data were collected through Focus Group
Discussion (FGD). The results of this study suggest that sexual harassment is highly likely to occur in
public spaces, specifically through social media. Perpetrators are very easy to publish negative
information with the aim of arousing martyrdom. Such information is like teasing the victim both in the
comments field, sending negative images, and making video calls by showing physical forms that lead to
pornographic elements. The occurrence of sexual harassment through social media certainly has an
impact on high levels of fear and anxiety for victims. The recommendation in this study is that it is
necessary to educate teenagers as the next generation of the nation to be smart in using social media with
positive content.
Keywords: Social media, sexual harassment, teens
This work is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution No Derivatives 4.0 International License
INTRODUCTION
The presence of the internet is evidence of the rapid development of information
technology in Indonesia, this is a good effect caused by modernization. The Internet helps us
in a variety of social activities, education, business, and much more. Advances in internet
technology have also been followed by the rise of social media. Social media is a site where
one can create a personal webpage and connect with others who are on the same social media
(Rosyidah & Nurdin, 2018). The purpose of having social media is varied can be to share
information or just communicate and add friendships. The widespread use of social media then
established a new social interaction called social networking, which is a social structure formed
by individuals or groups connected by one or more interdependence factors, such as friendship,
brotherhood, common interests, trade, dislike, dating, the similarity of beliefs, knowledge, and
prestige (Rosyidah & Nurdin, 2018).
As young people, we have coexisted with social media. Social media itself has become a
new socializing platform because it can bring interactions closer to long distances. Interactions
in social media have the same patterns as real life, such as norms and rules that apply and are
recognized. There is no significant difference between socializing in cyberspace and
socializing in the real world. When socializing through social media, we are limited only by
space and cannot touch physically, but any form of conversation will feel real. Reporting to the
official website of Ministry of Communication and Informatics, based on research conducted
with UNICEF in 2014 at least 30 million children and adolescents in Indonesia are internet
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users (Kominfo, 2014). Later there is data collected by the Association of Internet Service
Providers, internet users in Indonesia are in quartz II in 2020 and reached 73.7% or equivalent
to 196.7 million users (APJII, 2020). Through this data, we can see the rise of internet users in
Indonesia. Moreover, these social media users are dominated by young women and even
teenagers. Adolescence is a period of transition from childhood to adult life period
characterized by biological and psychological growth and development. At that time, teenagers
will learn and accept what is given and curiosity will be greater so that it gives rise to the desire
to use social media as a new means of communicating in addition to real face-to-face
communication.
Just as technological advances, in general, have a negative impact, social media also has a
negative side. Its appearance at the beginning was seen as good to help human activities were
abused. There are individuals who take advantage of advances in internet technology for
negative content. According to Great Indonesian Dictionary, the definition of content is
information available through media or electronic products. So, it can be concluded that
negative content is information that smells negative and detrimental that is disseminated
through the media. Reporting from the official website of Ministry of Communication and
Informatics, which includes negative content is pornographic images/videos, gambling, fraud,
harassment, defamation, and fake news (Ferissa, 2017). The rise of negative content and
pornographic impressions has dragged the younger generation and even children to have casual
sex. The flow of information invades young people and is packaged in such a way that sex
activities are considered commonplace and fun (Shofiyah, 2020). Therefore, negative content
can be the root of sexual harassment crimes because perpetrators get stimulation from
pornographic content.
People who want to carry out indecent acts usually enter through social media networks
and send private messages to carry out their actions. As a young person, skating on social media
for hours was commonplace. Because one of the effects of social media is addiction. This
causes young people to be vulnerable and feared to be exposed to negative content related to
sexual harassment, even being victims of sexual harassment that is rife on social media. Farley
(1978) describes sexual abuse as a sexual seduction that is not desired by the recipient, the
seduction appears in various forms both subtle, rude, open, physical, and verbal, and in the
same direction because it is only from perpetrator to the victim (Farley, 1978). Zastrow and
Ashman, Kremer and Marks, in Kurnianingsih (2003) explain that verbal sexual abuse occurs
more than physically.
Unexpected sexual solicitation, messages wrapped in continuous sexual jokes, instead of
being a joke it instead includes harassment. In addition, calls for dates that continue to be sent
when they have been rejected many times, insulting or demeaning messages, suggestive or
obscene comments, sexist expressions about women's sexual clothing, bodies, or activities,
requests for sexual services expressed with indirect or open threats, all of which are included
in verbal sexual harassment. Sexual harassment can happen to anyone regardless of gender and
anywhere.
Sexual harassment in the scope of social media is part of negative content. Sexual
harassment is not only physical touch, sexual violence, rape, but it contains verbal speech and
approaches sent through the comments field or personal messages peppered with sexuality and
also online gender-based sexual violence. Some of the things that have been mentioned are
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53 Vol. 1, No. 2, November 2021
categorized as cyber sexual harassment, namely acts of sexual harassment-related to the
internet and located in cyberspace (Hayati, 2021). The form of action is if someone repeatedly
texted or called in a harassing manner. If someone electronically sends you or shows you sexual
content without your permission, such as via email, Snapchat, or Facebook, or on your phone
or computer. Finally, if someone takes and/or shares your sexual images or videos without your
permission.
According to research conducted by digital security firm Norton, 76% of 1,000 female
respondents under the age of 30 have experienced sexual harassment online (Aprilia in
Rosyidah & Nurdin, 2018). Furthermore, based on annual records from the National
Commission on Women, attached from Service Provider Agency data shows that Cyber
Gender-Based Violence jumped from 126 cases in 2019 to 510 cases in 2020. The forms of
violence that dominate Cyber Gender-Based Violence are psychic violence 49% (491 cases)
followed by sexual violence 48% (479 cases) and economic violence 2% (22 cases).
This has proven the rise of sexual harassment in the public space of the internet. Usually,
individuals do their actions in the form of solicitation of sex or comment on someone's posts
on social media by slipping words that harass one's sexuality. As young people, if we feel
uncomfortable, intimidated, or feel humiliated because of sexual messages or comments then
the act has included the realm of sexual harassment and can be reported (Hakim et al., 2019).
Especially if the action interferes with activities and even causes trauma in a person's life.
For example, the incident experienced by a gold-winning badminton athlete at the Asian
Games, namely Jonathan Christie. One of the posts on his Instagram account has been filled
with comments by women who refer to things that smell of sexuality. The comments read "my
uterus is shaking", "what is it that stands out behind Jojo's pants", and much more. The act of
comments made by Instagram users in the comments column of athlete Jonatan Christie has
been included in the class of sexual harassment because it is demeaning and leads to the
sexuality of a person's body parts (Maghfiroh & Muqoddam, 2018). Because sexual harassment
in the public space of the internet has too often taken its toll. Therefore, through this writing,
the author tries to examine the forms of sexual harassment in online media and how to
overcome them.
METHOD
This research method uses descriptive qualitative methods with critical paradigms.
Ontologically, critical paradigms view the observed reality as pseudo-reality, which is shaped
by historical processes. In other words, this topic discusses how sexual harassment through
social media is seen as a real reality in society due to some similar cases that have occurred.
Epistemologically, researchers view the separation of subjective values they have with
objective facts. In a sense, researchers try to view sexual harassment that occurs through social
media objectively, regardless of how the background of the perpetrator, and still see that this
sexual harassment is the wrong thing to do. Axiologically, this paradigm is not value-free
between researchers and the reality studied. In other words, researchers are trying to position
themselves as third parties by criticizing how sexual harassment through social media occurs
in society. Methodologically, critical paradigms use comprehensive, contextual, and multilevel
analysis (Denzin, 2009).
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54 Vol. 1, No. 2, November 2021
Data were obtained from interviews in focus group discussion as many as 10 people
consisting of 4 men and 6 women with positions as perpetrators and victims of sexual abuse.
Informants are aged 18 to 22 and live in Jakarta and surrounding areas. Data obtained from
focus group discussion is then analyzed using miles and Huberman interaction model (1992)
which starts from data collection, data presentation, and conclusion withdrawal. The theory
used is the theory of Social Media Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) which is a
theory that seeks to explain how communication is done between parties related to mediated
by technology (Littlejohn & Foss, 2016). This theory developed rapidly, especially in era 4.0,
considering everything that humans do use technology. Pratiwi (2014) explained that a form of
communication that belongs to CMC is when two or more participants who communicate with
each other use computers (technology) as a medium or means to facilitate both.
As support for CMC patterns, the internet strongly supports the existence of this CMC
pattern in people's lives. This is because everything that individuals do use this CMC pattern
will use the internet. This is supported by Arnus's statement (2015) in his journal that the CMC
pattern allows one to communicate using computer-based equipment (Arnus, 2015). For this
reason, the internet is divided back various kinds of services that can be used by the community,
such as social media. Social media is a real form of the application of CMC. This is indicated
by the existence of communication carried out by individuals in social media, where this
communication does not take place face-to-face but requires the media to mediate it. In this
case, the implementation of CMC is strongly supported by this social media presence.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
The results showed that 100% of the informants studied were active users of social media,
most of whom used Tiktok, Instagram, Twitter and Whatsapp. Not only that, one of the
informants also use Line, Telegram, YouTube and even Facebook as an active social media
that they currently use. As one of the informants put it:
“Usually, I use is Instagram, it can be from morning to morning again. Continued on Whatsapp
is also quite often, Telegram, Line, same YouTube. YouTube can also be longer than Instagram.
It also helps us not to travel outside the home in the pandemic period.”
This shows that there are various kinds of social media that can be used by the community,
coupled with the condition of the Covid-19 pandemic that requires people to keep doing
activities online. This of course increases the use of social media as a way individuals get a
variety of information such as related to sexual harassment information that occurs on various
social media.
Based on the results of the interview mentioned that 3 out of 10 informants have seen or
experienced sexual harassment from social media. Both mentioned that they had received
sexual comments and received photos and sex videos. One of the informants mentioned that
the photos and videos he got came from Telegram, Whatsapp, and Snapchat. This shows that
sexual harassment is not restricted by any media. This is marked by a statement from 2
informants who said that they get posts in the form of photos and videos smelling sexual
through Whatsapp, where someone can only contact others through Whatsapp if they have
stored the person's phone number. Because phone numbers are a matter of privacy and are often
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55 Vol. 1, No. 2, November 2021
not disseminated, it is less likely that sexual harassment occurs through Whatsapp. However,
in fact, 2 out of 10 informants get this.
Based on an explanation in computer-mediated communication (CMC) theory, where
communication itself is done by mediating by computer-based technology. Acts of sexual
harassment carried out on social media, prove that communication that takes place is not only
communication that has a positive meaning or purpose, but the use of CMC theory also supports
the exchange of information that aims to harass someone sexually.
Furthermore, the discussion continued by questioning what the perpetrators get when they
commit acts of sexual harassment. One of the informants mentioned that the perpetrators get
their satisfaction when committing sexual harassment, specifically on social media. This is
because there is a lot of possibilities that sexual abusers on social media often do not use their
real identity in doing their deeds, making it more difficult to overcome. As one of the
informants put it:
“If we see it from the point of view of the perpetrator, then what is obtained is satisfaction.
Because he sexually abused him had a purpose. When he's done and gets his goal, he'll get that
satisfaction himself.”
This statement was later supported by other informants who mentioned that this act of
sexual harassment was solely to fulfil the desire of the perpetrator, and was conveyed as
follows:
“The benefit that the perpetrator find is satisfaction, in addition to the purpose of personal
desire is more conveyed through the comments he gives. So, what the perpetrator thinks, the
passion or passion that is in his mind is more channeled through comments on social media.”
From these two statements, it can be concluded that the main reason the perpetrators of
sexual abuse commit their actions is to fulfill the satisfaction of their passions. Regardless of
what media the perpetrators use, it does not reduce the likelihood of this act of abuse occurring.
The perpetrator tends to sexual addiction so that the brain no longer functions as it should. The
weakened logic of thinking and tendency to follow sexual instincts makes the perpetrator
without thinking long looking for the victim. The first reason perpetrators commit online
harassment is because they consider it not a crime. After all, there is no specific law to handle
cases like this, considering that the PKS bill has not yet been passed to make the perpetrator
feel safe doing so.
Perpetrators also think if doing so with a false identity will be difficult to find even cannot
find their true existence. Keep in mind the sophistication of technology also has a good impact
so that even though the perpetrator performs his actions with a false identity can still be
searched and found, one of them through IP address. The next reason the perpetrator considers
his actions are just a joke or a joke, such as writing comments smelling of sexuality on the
public figure's private page or some messages that are considered only a joke addressed to
friends. This increasing event of online sexual harassment is also followed by the current
Covid-19 pandemic that is happening to limit direct interaction and make everyone at home do
activities online and seek entertainment also only through social media.
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56 Vol. 1, No. 2, November 2021
The impact that victims of sexual harassment may have, specifically on sexual harassment
that occurs on social media. One of the informants mentioned that the impact obtained by the
perpetrator is a psychological or mental impact, such as the following:
“The impact is that it will disturb the psychological as mentally as the victim. For example,
when sexual abuse has occurred, there will be excessive anxiety, fear, and guilt that
increasingly give a sense of fear to the victim.”
Most of the informants mentioned that they still harbor the trauma to this day, even though
acts of sexual abuse were committed online. As one of the following informants points out:
“If the impact is still remembered and tends to be more afraid to use social media applications
again. But the impact did not interfere with daily activities, because when I had gotten such
behavior (sexual harassment), the culprit immediately reported on my social media.”
Furthermore, the discussion continues by questioning how to anticipate sexual harassment
behavior that occurs when we place ourselves as victims. Most informants say that messages
from unknown numbers are better blocked, the perpetrator's accounts are deported, even the
case is reported to the authorities, especially if his behavior has been so troubling and even
leads to terror against the victim. In addition, some informants argue that sexual harassment
behavior can be overcome by exposing or virtualizing their cases on social media. Virtualizing
cases on social media can certainly easily get the attention of the public so that the perpetrator
can be arrested and deterrent to his actions but like a boomerang, virtualizing can also be a
stumbling block for victims. Perpetrators can easily strike back at victims with the article of
the Information and Electronic Transactions Act of defamation. Therefore, preventing the
boomerang from happening, it would be nice for the victim to continue censoring the identity
of the perpetrator until law enforcement officials jump directly and try to gather more concrete
evidence so that the perpetrator cannot avoid his actions.
Based on the description above that although sexual abusers remain wrong, everyone also
can be a victim of sexual abuse. Thus, all individuals must also be able to take care of
themselves, regardless of all possibilities that can occur. Therefore, various ways that can be
done to overcome sexual harassment behavior is to report all acts of harassment to the
authorities. If indeed this act of sexual harassment is not responded to by the authorities, then
it never hurts to virtualize cases like this to be overcome by the authorities. Thus, we as a
society do not engage in, even normalize sexual harassment behavior occurs, specifically on
unbound social media.
In addition, one way that can also be done is to put ourselves as a victim, then we
sympathize with what is felt by the victim. This is important given the many negative stigmas
that are likely to be gained by victims of this act of sexual abuse (Astuti et al., 2019). They tend
to be held accountable for actions they didn't do. These victims tend not to be able to defend
themselves and the conditions experienced, because of the lack of education about sex in the
community. Thus, more and more stigma is likely to be gained by victims in this act of sexual
abuse. This is called normalizing behavior, such as mentioning that sexual harassment occurs
because of inviting clothing, all perpetrators are men, etc. By placing ourselves as victims, we
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57 Vol. 1, No. 2, November 2021
can break the chain of normalization of sexual abuse behavior, so that sexual abusers cannot
move freely normally without caring about the victim who still has his trauma for the rest of
his life.
CONCLUSION
Sexual harassment is very likely to occur in public spaces, specifically through social
media. Perpetrators are very easy to publish negative information with the aim of arousing
martyrdom. Such information is like teasing the victim both in the comments field, sending
negative images, and making video calls by showing physical forms that lead to pornographic
elements. The occurrence of sexual harassment through social media certainly has an impact
on high levels of fear and anxiety for victims. Moreover, the perpetrator to threaten the safety
of the victim's life. The recommendation in this study is that it is necessary to educate teenagers
as the next generation of the nation to be smart in using social media with positive content.
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