Analysis of Virtual Communication through TikTok Streaks in Building Closeness among Generation Z in Yogyakarta
Keywords:
Social Closeness, Social Presence, Virtual Communication, Generation Z, TikTok StreaksAbstract
TikTok has emerged as a prominent social media platform in Indonesia, boasting the second-largest user base globally at 194,37 million, alongside several functionalities including voice and video recording, editing tools, TikTok Shop, Direct Message, and the recent addition of TikTok Streaks. Generation Z utilizes the TikTok Streaks function for virtual communication, fostering a sense of social presence through the flame icon, which subconsciously enhances interpersonal ties in digital environments. This study seeks to ascertain the function of the TikTok Streaks feature in fostering social intimacy and social presence within Generation Z. This study utilizes virtual ethnography with an interpretive framework, collecting data through virtual ethnographic observation at four levels: media space, media document, object, and media experience; in-depth interviews with 15 students in Yogyakarta; and documentation studies employing social presence theory, which identifies three primary indicators: social context, online communication, and interactivity. The study's findings indicate that interactions within the TikTok Streaks media in a social context establish a social monitoring system that enhances interpersonal ties among TikTok users, despite the absence of substantive talks. Frequent engagement with the TikTok Streak feature, utilizing symbols like stickers and emoticons, can enhance feelings of intimacy and social presence in online communication. Interactivity emphasizes the reciprocal feedback among TikTok users, fostering a sense of continuous connection even through minimal communication. This study comes to the conclusion that TikTok Streaks has established a new standard of intimacy in the age of digital communication by developing a new means of preserving social connectivity in virtual places.
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