The Impacts of Media Ecology on the Perceptions of a Virtual Community called @PandemicTalk

¹ Faculty of Humanities, Diponegoro University, Semarang – Indonesia
² Faculty of Humanities, Diponegoro University, Semarang – Indonesia
³ Faculty of Humanities, Diponegoro University, Semarang – Indonesia

Abstract

The development of technology changes the ways humans communicate. The presence Instagram brings various solutions and makes communication easier and faster for people throughout the world. In last two years during outbreak of COVID-19, humans dominantly used digital power to perform all life activities. Digital information related to COVID-19 was recorded in virtual community called @Pandemictalk. @Pandemictalk a virtual community focusing on development Covid-19 information in Indonesia. Development of information related to COVID-19 was controlled and monitored by government. The purpose of study to determine ecological impacts media on the people's perceptions in understanding the digital information. Research data were obtained using natnographic method. After identified, data then interpreted using a descriptive contextual method. The results this study reveal that media ecology has a positive correlation with dissemination information related to COVID-19 on @Pandemictalk. Media ecology shapes people's lifestyle increasingly dependent on electronics. This dependence is interpreted as ecological electronic mass. Virtual communication is more effective in processing people's perceptions reflected in the infographics concepts which are easier to perceive. The visual verbal message contents strictly implement the health protocols and information based on local and central government regulations related to community social assistance and religious information.