Prosiding SENALA (Seminar Nasional Linguistik Indonesia)
Vol. 2 (2025): Transformasi Linguistik di Era Big Data

Laughing in Cyberspace: The Communicative Power of Memes on Social Media

Hammassa Zahara (Linguistik Indonesia, Fakultas Ilmu Sosial, Budaya, dan Politik, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Jawa Timur, Indonesia)
Nessa Valentina Febrianti (Linguistik Indonesia, Fakultas Ilmu Sosial, Budaya, dan Politik, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Jawa Timur, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
20 Nov 2025

Abstract

The development of digital technology has transformed the way people communicate, one of which is through the spread of humor on social media. Memes, as a popular form of digital expression, combine simple text and images yet can simultaneously create humor and convey social messages. This phenomenon is worth studying because memes are not merely a form of entertainment but also a medium of communication that reflects people’s mindsets and digital culture. Purpose: This research aims to analyze the role of memes in delivering digital humor on social media, identify the humor strategies used in memes, and examine how memes influence audience interaction and responses. The study uses a qualitative descriptive approach with content analysis techniques. The data consist of meme images collected from social media platforms such as Instagram, X (Twitter), and TikTok. The selected memes were analyzed based on visual content, text, and the context of humor displayed. The findings show that memes play a significant role as a means of digital humor because they are easy to understand, spread rapidly, and can adapt to current issues. The dominant humor strategies include irony, satire, and wordplay that evoke emotional engagement from the audience. Memes are not only entertaining but also serve as an effective medium of digital communication that reflects social phenomena, fosters interpersonal connection, and strengthens the culture of humor in cyberspace.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

senala

Publisher

Subject

Description

Prosiding SENALA focuses on publishing scholarly works presented at the Seminar Nasional Linguistik Indonesia, particularly in the fields of linguistics and language studies. This proceeding aims to serve as an academic forum for researchers, lecturers, students, and language practitioners to share ...