The Identity Construction of Woman Politician on Facebook

摘要

In 2014, According to Association of Internet Service Providers Indonesia's data, internet users in Indonesia will reach 107 million in 2014. This study looks at how Facebook as a medium of political communication is used well by women legislators in constructing their identity as the representatives of people. Facebook enables female legislators to compose personal messages and spread mass messages quickly to reach the wider audience. It provides opportunities for Facebook users to think, behave, or act, without any significant control, except their own self-awareness. If in everyday life women politicians are bound by many values and rules in society, then how do social users see and construct themselves on Facebook? This research used the qualitative method applying case study approach. Data were collected through in deep inter-views, observations and literature studies. Research subjects are female legislators of Surabaya city who have the characteristics of Facebook as well as active users, understand the problems, and can be trusted. The results showed that female legislators had different motive in using Facebook before and after being elected as a woman legislator. The factors that distinguish are: the motive to be a female politician and the encouragement of the political party. The lack of female legislators in Surabaya City that make Facebook as a medium of politic, but use it as a medium of communication, medium of existence, medium of self-image. This implies on the lack of women legislators in realizing the importance of creating and keeping identity well as representatives of the people. In fact, Identity online construction is done through a choice of features on Facebook used, such as photos, posts, and verbal/non-verbal language selected and used.