The Dynamics of Public Trust in Digital Communication Among Social Media Users
Keywords:
Public Trust, Digital Communication, Social Media, Misinformation, Phenomenology, Digital LiteracyAbstract
This study aims to analyze the dynamics of public trust in digital communication among social media users, specifically how users interpret, negotiate, and verify information amid the prevalence of misinformation, viral content, and shifts in communication authority. The study employs a qualitative approach with a phenomenological design to understand the subjective experiences of social media users. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, limited participant observation, and digital documentation of active social media users aged 18–45 who were purposively selected based on their experiences in receiving, doubting, verifying, or sharing public information on social media. Data analysis was conducted thematically through the stages of data condensation, coding, categorization, and theme extraction. The research results reveal five main themes: trust based on social proximity; the credibility of sources and the professional appearance of information; skepticism toward viral information; informal verification practices; and the negotiation of trust toward institutions and digital actors. These findings indicate that public trust in digital communication is not static but is shaped through the interaction of social relationships, personal experiences, emotions, the visual nature of information, the reputation of sources, and community norms. This study contributes to the development of digital communication research by emphasizing that social media credibility is hybrid in nature. The implications of this research underscore the importance of transparent, dialogic, and responsive public communication strategies, as well as the strengthening of digital literacy that is sensitive to users’ socio-cultural contexts.
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