Transformasi Solidaritas Sosial di Era Digital Dari Gotong Royong ke “Gotong Royong Virtual”

Abstract

The rapid expansion of digital technologies has reshaped how Indonesians express social solidarity and practice collective care. This study analyzes the transformation of traditional forms of solidarity—rooted in communal proximity and cultural norms—into digitally mediated solidarity facilitated by social media platforms. Using a qualitative library research approach, the study synthesizes scholarly works published between 2019 and 2024 and integrates social media content (TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Kitabisa) as social texts that reflect shifting patterns of public empathy and collective action. Findings reveal that digital solidarity operates through three interconnected layers: moral affect (visual empathy, moral outrage, emotional resonance), network structures (content virality, platform algorithms, digital communities), and digital social capital (platform trust, reputational cues, narrative legitimacy). Rather than replacing traditional gotong royong, digital platforms rearticulate it into a faster, more fluid, and borderless form of solidarity shaped by visual narratives and algorithmic visibility. Nonetheless, digital solidarity remains ambivalent due to risks of performative kindness, visual exploitation, and digital inequalities, particularly for marginalized communities in remote regions. The study provides theoretical contributions by synthesizing network society theory, social capital, and emotional sociology, and offers practical implications for policymakers, community organizations, and digital platforms to design ethical, inclusive, and equitable digital solidarity mechanisms.