Digital Discourse, Public Sentiment, and Ideology: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Social Media Networks on Demonstrations in Yogyakarta

Abstract

The advancement of digital technology has transformed how the public interprets and articulates socio-political issues, particularly through social media. In Indonesia, platform X (formerly Twitter) has become a key medium for shaping public opinion and mobilizing collective solidarity, notably during demonstrations in the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) from August 29 to September 3, 2025. This study examines how language, digital interactions, and social practices construct public opinion, mobilize collective emotions, and negotiate socio-political legitimacy in digital spaces. The research combines Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) with Social Network Analysis (SNA) using an integrative qualitative approach. Public conversations were collected via the Advanced Network Analytic (ANA) system using relevant keywords and hashtags, then analyzed at textual, discursive, and social-practice levels. Findings reveal three main narrative clusters: the blue cluster emphasizes conflict and state repression, the green cluster focuses on factual documentation, and the red cluster highlights humanitarian solidarity and moral resistance. Language, hashtags, and sentiment shape perception, mobilize emotion, and negotiate legitimacy, while influencers drive discourse distribution. Social media emerges as a complex arena of digital democracy where language, interaction, and socio-political context simultaneously shape public opinion.