Activities of Netizens on Social Media and Religious Spirituality of Indonesian Millennials in the Era of New Media

• Published in: The international journal of religion and spirituality in society 2019, Vol.9 (1), p.57-70
• Main Authors: Syahputra, Iswandi, Hafiar, Hanny
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Hate speech; Hoaxes; Internet; Mass media; Millennials; Religion; Religiosity; Religious beliefs; Social media; Social networks; Spiritualism; Spirituality
• ISSN: 2154-8633; 2154-8641
• DOI: 10.18848/2154-8633/CGP/v09i01/57-70

Recent studies indicate that the rise of internet-based new media has altered the spiritual and religious experiences of individuals who are active on the internet (netizens), particularly those belonging to the millennial generation. This article explores various concepts on the relations between new media, netizens, spirituality, and religion. Specifically, it discusses and describes the activities of netizens in Indonesia in the era of new media and the varying tendencies of changes that ensue. This article also explains that religious spirituality in the era of new media in Indonesia has been marked by hoaxes and hate speech in the religious sector. The variety of hoaxes and hate speech found in the field of religion have subsequently spread to numerous social media channels. The context of this study will consequently have implications regarding the reduction of religious authority. Additionally, it may also imply the diminishing interest of people in spirituality and spiritualists. This is due to the fact that in the current era of new media, spirituality, and spiritualists can be openly debated, tested, and disputed by netizens from the millennial generation. Additionally, religious spiritual practices can also be ridiculed, discredited, harassed, and even hated. Within the millennial generation, in today’s era of new media, religious spirituality has become more raucous and obscure due to the aggressive nature of netizens’ activities.