Digital Nostalgia and Local Identity in Online Interaction: A Netnographic Perspective

Abstract

Perkembangan media digital telah menjadikan media sosial sebagai ruang penting bagi interaksi, pembentukan makna, dan produksi budaya. Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis pembentukan budaya kolektif digital melalui interaksi pengikut akun Instagram @butonstories dalam konteks lokal Indonesia. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan netnografi kualitatif dengan data utama berupa interaksi pengguna, komentar, dan ekspresi simbolik. Temuan menunjukkan bahwa budaya kolektif digital terbentuk melalui interaksi emosional yang berulang, terutama ekspresi nostalgia, identitas lokal, dan pengalaman bersama mengenai Baubau. Interaksi tersebut menjadi mekanisme konstruksi sosial ketika ekspresi individual diulang dan dikenali sebagai makna bersama. Penelitian juga menemukan terbentuknya kedekatan sosial dan komunitas virtual melalui balasan, penyebutan, serta bahasa simbolik. Kreator berperan sebagai mediator budaya yang membentuk narasi dan memfasilitasi interaksi sambil menegosiasikan autentisitas budaya dengan kepentingan komersial. Penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa interaksi digital merupakan proses budaya yang berkontribusi pada pembentukan identitas, memori kolektif, dan hubungan sosial. Secara konseptual, studi ini memberikan kontribusi pada kajian komunikasi digital melalui analisis interaksi pada tingkat mikro dalam ruang digital lokal.

The rapid development of digital media has transformed social media into a central space for interaction, meaning-making, and cultural production. This study aims to analyze how digital collective culture is formed through follower interactions on the Instagram account @butonstories within a local Indonesian context. Using a qualitative netnographic approach, the research examines user interactions, comments, and symbolic expressions as primary data to understand communication practices and shared meanings in digital environments. The findings indicate that digital collective culture emerges through repeated emotional interactions, particularly expressions of nostalgia, local identity, and shared experiences related to Baubau. These interactions function as mechanisms of social construction, where individual expressions become collectively recognized meanings through processes of repetition and engagement. The study also reveals the formation of social closeness and virtual community through communication practices such as replies, mentions, and symbolic language. Additionally, the content creator plays a significant role as a cultural mediator, shaping narratives and facilitating interaction while maintaining a balance between cultural authenticity and commercial interests. The discussion further emphasizes that digital interaction constitutes a meaningful cultural process rather than superficial engagement, contributing to identity formation and collective memory. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of social media as a dynamic space for constructing collective culture and social relationships. It contributes to communication studies by providing a contextual and micro-level understanding of digital culture formation and suggests the need for further research on interaction patterns and symbolic communication in digital communities.