Few people have heard of Indonesia. With the exception of the legendary island of Bali, and the bad news of rare terrorist attacks and occasional natural disasters, Indonesians are the fourth largest users of the social networking site Facebook. Which has become something of a controversy and, for many, a social norm in a country of over 225 million people.
Social media is nothing new to Indonesians, in fact “social media” is an intrinsic part of traditional and modern Indonesian life. In a developing nation, which has largely escaped the current global recession, this “social networking” tradition has gone online.
A new generation of web-savvy Indonesians, living mainly in the countries’ urban centers, have embraced Facebook as their own. Post photos that all Indonesians love to take in the expansion of profiles and take advantage of chat facilities that most Indonesians love to spend their time on.
So why did Facebook take off in one of the most unlikely countries?
Modern Indonesia has transformed from a rural to an urban society in a period of only a few generations. Leaving families and friends all over Indonesia, both separated and many say permanently mobile.
This has created a wealthy urban elite and a potential generation of immigrants who are embracing the cheap technology simply needed to keep in touch with one another in a nation of more than 18,000 islands.
The deregulation of the nation’s telecommunications industry and open competition between the Internet and mobile phone providers have created cheaper technology for millions of ordinary Indonesians, who have seized the opportunity to keep in touch, gossip and make new friends online. line.
Modern Indonesians also like to downplay their “rural roots,” and Facebook is a way to look sophisticated and hip, in a society where appearances are often more important than substance. Hence the countless photos posted on the Facebook profiles of Indonesians, often showing the trappings of wealth that most Indonesians cannot afford, outside of the cities; days at the mall, trendy cafes or even fancy hotels and restaurants.
“Social networks” are also important in a country without real social safety nets. Finding a job or a side business is the number one concern for many Indonesians, in a society where it can be “who do you know” instead of “what do you know.” And Facebook is the ideal online solution for the web, with so many mobile phone providers now offering cheap rates to surf the web and connect to Facebook.
Dating is also an important part of life in Indonesia, where the majority of the countries population is still under 25, and mostly women. Therefore, Facebook is also a cheap dating site for many Indonesians, who often flirt online or search for a partner offline. Particularly when many Indonesians work two jobs and also spend most of their time traveling or working in cities like Jakarta.
Facebook has solved the communication problems of a young nation, often permanently on the go, and even with the older generation of Indonesians criticizing the often “negative” use of Facebook, including the fairly recent criticism of the website by scholars. religious conservatives. It is set to grow in popularity as the Facebook Generation expands into Indonesia’s urban centers.
