Netizens’ Discussions on Twitter Concerning Floods and Presidential Candidates

Abstract

This qualitative study dives into social media debates about flood disasters in Jakarta, using Twitteras the significant inquiry medium. The primary goal is to discover new patterns of online social interactions, shed light on the concept of selective exposure, and rigorously chronicle the activities of critical actors in this digital network. We conducted the data gathering process on May 25, 2023, specifically focusing on the selected phrase "Banjir Jakarta." For a thorough study, NVivo 12 Plus compiled a significant dataset of 3,427 tweets. We divide the research findings into three distinct sections: the volume of conversations, the various categories of influencers involved, the prevailing sentiment and conversational tone of these influencers, and an exploration of the most frequently employed words in these discussions. This study highlights the significant impact of nanoinfluencers in these talks, accounting for the vast majority (93.70%) of participants. Furthermore, it emphasizes the active debate around the most likely presidential candidates for 2024. This speech had two prominent figures, Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo, who both elicited different tones and sentiments. Within this complex communication landscape, influencers emerge as crucial entities actively shaping public attitude and discourse, spanning news portals and individual social media profiles. Finally, this study highlights the enormous importance of social media, particularly Twitter, in shaping public awareness and driving political conversations, notably in crisis management and future presidential candidates.