<![CDATA[SEAblings, a portmanteau of “Southeast Asia” and “siblings”, is used as a term of kinship that marks Southeast Asian regional identity in digital interactions. This study examines changes in the meaning and function of SEAblings as a regional marker by comparing two ad hoc publics that emerged in different contexts: cross-border solidarity with online drivers in Indonesia in 2025 and the conflict between SEAblings and Korean netizens (KNetz) in 2026. To trace shifts in its meaning, the use of the terms SEAblings and SEAbling on X was examined historically from 15 July 2006 to 14 July 2026. A qualitative approach using non-participatory netnography was applied to 623 data units collected from the two events that gave rise to these ad hoc publics. The analysis follows the sequence of events while considering the function of each data unit within the conversation. Evidence of SEAblings being used in a regional context has been identified since 2020–2021. In 2025, the label was widely used to describe relationships that developed through practices of cross-border assistance. Its meaning shifted when SEAblings re-emerged in 2026 as a symbol of regional defense in a digital conflict with KNetz, where counterattacks became the dominant form of engagement. The findings indicate that the continued use of the same term over time does not necessarily refer to the same public. When a new event emerges, the label may be taken up by different participants through different forms of engagement.]]>
Copyrights © 2026
