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Impoliteness Strategies in Online Political Discourse: A Case Study of Indonesian Netizens' Comments on Tiktok

English Education Journal · Vol. 14 No. 3 (2024) · pp. 428–439

DOI
10.15294/cxj95428
Published
2024-09-15
Publisher
English Education Journal
Language
eng

Abstract

This study analyzes impoliteness strategies in online political discourse, specifically focusing on the comments made by Indonesian netizens on TikTok regarding the presidential and vice-presidential candidate pairs. This research employed a qualitative descriptive approach to portray the phenomenon of impoliteness in the digital realm, especially in political interactions within the context of Indonesia’s presidential election. The study applied Culpeper’s (1996) theory of impoliteness strategies, and the data were collected from the Indonesian presidential election, specifically from TikTok accounts. Comments were gathered from the Anies-Muhaimin, Prabowo-Gibran, and Ganjar-Mahfud pairs. The data used in this study consisted of 60 instances of dark humor found across three TikTok accounts of presidential and vice-presidential candidates, which were then analyzed according to five categories of impoliteness strategies: bald on record impoliteness, positive impoliteness, negative impoliteness, sarcasm or mock, and withhold impoliteness. The results show that dark humor is most commonly conveyed through sarcasm or mock (35%), followed by positive impoliteness (28.3%), negative impoliteness (20%), bald on record impoliteness (16.7%), and no instances of withhold impoliteness. Thus, the findings contribute to understanding how impoliteness strategies are used by netizens to express political criticism or opinions online and their impact on political discourse in Indonesia. By understanding impoliteness, we will better appreciate politeness on social media and in person.

Keywords

Collaboration network of the authors

40 authors · 97 co-authorship links · showing the 40 most connected

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  • Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember
  • Affiliation unknown
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  • Same organisation
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Co-authorOrganisationJoint articles
Widya AmaliaAffiliation unknown4
Issy YuliasriAffiliation unknown3
Dwi RukminiAffiliation unknown3
Sri Wuli FitriatiAffiliation unknown3
Katharina RustipaAffiliation unknown3
Frimadhona SyafriAffiliation unknown2
Rudi HartonoAffiliation unknown2
Fahrur RoziInstitut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember2
SRI WAHYUNIAffiliation unknown2
Zulfa SakhiyyaAffiliation unknown2
Maria Johana Ari WidayantiAffiliation unknown2
Stillman Miliam AsanAffiliation unknown1
Angga Pratama Armadi PutraAffiliation unknown1
Indah NurhidayahAffiliation unknown1
Rahmiwati RahmiwatiAffiliation unknown1
Januarius MujiiyantoAffiliation unknown1
Annisa Nur AtikahAffiliation unknown1
Prahda Alifa FegasantiAffiliation unknown1
Fahmi MusthafaAffiliation unknown1
Rahayu Puji HaryantiAffiliation unknown1
Ilham Bagas AbdurrazzaqAffiliation unknown1
Urfatul MakhsunahAffiliation unknown1
Fahmi Arif SangajiAffiliation unknown1
Yesi Novita SariAffiliation unknown1
Neiva CahyaAffiliation unknown1
Syifa Fellashufa FadillahAffiliation unknown1
Ilma AmalinaAffiliation unknown1
Faiz MaulidaAffiliation unknown1
Egi RaputriAffiliation unknown1
Yan MujiyantoAffiliation unknown1
Etri WijayantiAffiliation unknown1
Luluatul Musyafa'ahAffiliation unknown1
Etik Khusnul KhotimahAffiliation unknown1
Djanuarius MujiyantoAffiliation unknown1
Tomy WidiyantoAffiliation unknown1
Rahayu Puji HaryantiAffiliation unknown1
Ayu Dewi FatimahAffiliation unknown1

Affiliations come from OpenAlex; journal OAI-PMH metadata carries none. Authors without an OpenAlex ID are matched by name, which can merge or split people.

Metadata source: OAI-PMH (metadata jurnal) https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/eej/oai, first harvested 5 Nov 2026, last seen 5 Nov 2026.
Original metadata (oai_dc) 
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	<dc:title xml:lang="en">Impoliteness Strategies in Online Political Discourse: A Case Study of Indonesian Netizens' Comments on Tiktok</dc:title>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Regita Widya Murti</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Hendi Pratama</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Henrikus Joko Yulianto</dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Impoliteness Strategy, Online Political Discourse, Tiktok Comment Analysis, Case Study</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en">This study analyzes impoliteness strategies in online political discourse, specifically focusing on the comments made by Indonesian netizens on TikTok regarding the presidential and vice-presidential candidate pairs. This research employed a qualitative descriptive approach to portray the phenomenon of impoliteness in the digital realm, especially in political interactions within the context of Indonesia’s presidential election. The study applied Culpeper’s (1996) theory of impoliteness strategies, and the data were collected from the Indonesian presidential election, specifically from TikTok accounts. Comments were gathered from the Anies-Muhaimin, Prabowo-Gibran, and Ganjar-Mahfud pairs. The data used in this study consisted of 60 instances of dark humor found across three TikTok accounts of presidential and vice-presidential candidates, which were then analyzed according to five categories of impoliteness strategies: bald on record impoliteness, positive impoliteness, negative impoliteness, sarcasm or mock, and withhold impoliteness. The results show that dark humor is most commonly conveyed through sarcasm or mock (35%), followed by positive impoliteness (28.3%), negative impoliteness (20%), bald on record impoliteness (16.7%), and no instances of withhold impoliteness. Thus, the findings contribute to understanding how impoliteness strategies are used by netizens to express political criticism or opinions online and their impact on political discourse in Indonesia. By understanding impoliteness, we will better appreciate politeness on social media and in person.</dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en">English Education Journal</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2024-09-15</dc:date>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/article</dc:type>
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	<dc:type xml:lang="en">Peer-reviewed Article</dc:type>
	<dc:format>application/pdf</dc:format>
	<dc:identifier>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/eej/article/view/15973</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.15294/cxj95428</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en">English Education Journal; Vol. 14 No. 3 (2024): September 2024; 428-439</dc:source>
	<dc:language>eng</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/eej/article/view/15973/2364</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">Copyright (c) 2024 English Education Journal</dc:rights>
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