Pemaknaan Flexing Emas dan Literasi Digital pada Perempuan Pengguna Media Sosial di Tapanuli Bagian Selatan - Patimah Rambe; Nurbani Nurbani; Iskandar Zulkarnain (Fakultas Ilmu Sosial UIN Sumatera Utara Medan, 2026)
AbstrakFenomena flexing atau perilaku memamerkan kepemilikan harta di media sosial semakin berkembang seiring meningkatnya penggunaan platform digital. Di Tapanuli Bagian Selatan (Tabagsel), praktik menampilkan perhiasan emas oleh perempuan memiliki dimensi yang unik karena berkaitan dengan nilai budaya, status sosial, dan identitas etnis. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pemaknaan perempuan pengguna media sosial di Tabagsel terhadap praktik flexing emas serta pemaknaan mereka mengenai literasi media digital dalam menyikapi fenomena tersebut. Penelitian menggunakan paradigma konstruktivisme dengan pendekatan kualitatif. Data dikumpulkan melalui observasi nonpartisipan, wawancara mendalam, dan Focus Group Discussion (FGD) terhadap perempuan pengguna media sosial yang pernah mengunggah foto menggunakan perhiasan emas. Analisis data dilakukan melalui tahapan kodifikasi, penyajian data, dan penarikan kesimpulan dengan validasi menggunakan triangulasi sumber. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa emas dimaknai sebagai simbol kehormatan, investasi, estetika, serta representasi status sosial dan martabat keluarga. Praktik mengunggah konten emas di media sosial umumnya dimaknai sebagai bentuk apresiasi diri dan berbagi kebahagiaan, meskipun dalam kondisi tertentu dapat dipersepsikan sebagai perilaku flexing yang negatif. Pemaknaan tersebut dipengaruhi oleh niat, frekuensi, dan konteks unggahan. Sementara itu, literasi media digital informan menunjukkan kemampuan yang cukup baik dalam aspek kecakapan digital dan etika digital, namun masih terdapat perbedaan tingkat kesadaran pada aspek keamanan digital. Penelitian ini menegaskan bahwa konvergensi media telah mentransformasi praktik budaya tradisional ke ruang digital sekaligus menghadirkan tantangan baru terkait keamanan, etika, dan konstruksi identitas sosial di era media baru. AbstractThe phenomenon of flexing, or displaying wealth on social media, has become increasingly prevalent in the digital era. In South Tapanuli (Tabagsel), the practice of showcasing gold jewelry by women carries distinctive cultural meanings because gold is closely associated with social status, honor, family prestige, and cultural identity. This study aims to explore how female social media users in Tabagsel interpret the practice of gold flexing and how they understand digital media literacy in responding to such behavior. This research employed a qualitative approach within a constructivist paradigm. Data were collected through non-participant observation, in-depth interviews, and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) involving female social media users who had previously uploaded photographs or videos featuring gold jewelry. Data analysis followed the stages of data coding, data display, and conclusion drawing, while source triangulation was used to ensure data validity. The findings reveal that gold is primarily interpreted as an investment instrument, a symbol of beauty, and a marker of social status and family honor. The act of sharing gold-related content on social media is generally perceived as a form of self-appreciation and a means of sharing happiness rather than an intentional display of arrogance. However, the distinction between positive self-expression and negative flexing is influenced by the intention, timing, and frequency of content uploads. Furthermore, participants demonstrated relatively strong digital literacy in terms of information verification and ethical online behavior, although awareness and implementation of digital security practices varied among individuals. The study concludes that media convergence has transformed traditional cultural expressions into digital representations, creating new challenges related to social perception, digital ethics, and online security. These findings contribute to the literature on digital communication, cultural communication, and digital literacy in the context of local cultural communities.