How Social Media Shapes Gen Z Communication: Insights for Basic Educational Development
Keywords:
Digital Communication, Generation Z, Social Media, Digital IdentityAbstract
This study aims to analyze the development of communication and social media use in the era of Generation Z (Gen-Z) through a phenomenological approach. Generation Z is known as digital natives who live in a technology-based communication ecosystem and social media, thus forming a new, dynamic, and multimodal pattern of social interaction. This study uses a qualitative method with data collection techniques through in-depth interviews, digital documentation, and field observations. The results of the study show three key findings: first, Gen-Z's communication patterns are characterized by speed, visual symbols, and informal language styles that reflect digital intimacy; second, social media functions as a space for expression and identity formation that is fluid and performative; Third, the use of social media has an ambivalent impact on social relationships and emotional balance, strengthening connections but also causing emotional dependence and exhaustion. These findings confirm that social media is not only changing the way Gen-Z communicates, but also shaping their social structure, values, and identities in the digital world.
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