ETIKA KOMUNIKASI PEMUDA MODERAT DI MEDIA SOSIAL: STUDI PADA KOMENTAR DAN DISKUSI ONLINE

Abstract

The increasing participation of youth on social media presents ethical challenges in digital communication, particularly regarding religion and differences of opinion. This study aims to analyze how moderate youth practice communication ethics in online comments and discussions on platforms such as YouTube and TikTok. Using a qualitative approach with content and discourse analysis, the study examines politeness, empathy, honesty, constructiveness, and emotional tone in eight comment samples related to religious moderation. The results reveal that moderate youth demonstrate polite, reflective, and value-based communication aligned with Islam rahmatan lil ‘alamin. All analyzed comments scored the highest on each indicator, reflecting the principles of tawasuth (moderation), tasamuh (tolerance), and tawazun (balance) in digital interaction. Social media can serve as an effective platform for promoting religious moderation values when supported by strong ethical digital literacy. This study underscores the importance of strengthening ethical communication education and religious moderation literacy among youth as a strategic effort to counter polarization and hate speech in digital public spaces.