JurnalPost.com — Social media has become a space for the public to voice opinions and respond to various events. When cases of alleged abuse capture public attention, comment sections are often flooded with expressions of sadness, anger, support, and demands for justice.
These diverse responses demonstrate that people use language to express their stance and concern. However, amidst the noise of digital conversation, an important question arises: does every comment truly reflect genuine concern and is it delivered responsibly?
The ability to understand information and think critically is increasingly vital for the public to participate wisely in the digital space. UNESCO (2021) emphasizes the importance of media and information literacy in building the public's capacity to access, evaluate, and use information critically.
Language That Demonstrates Concern
Based on seven observed sample comments, six forms of linguistic response were identified: concern, sarcasm, personal experience, criticism, demands, and support. Expressions of concern appeared in two comments, while the other five forms of response were each found once.
Although the amount of observed data is limited, these findings provide an overview of the various ways the public responds to sensitive issues through language.
One comment read, “Oh God… Bundo is crying, beautiful and pious Sukma.” This expression reveals sadness and emotional closeness to the party receiving public attention.
Meanwhile, the comment “Hopefully the perpetrator is processed by the law immediately” shows a hope that the alleged violation being discussed can be handled through legal proceedings.
Both responses show that language can be a means to convey solidarity and concern. Support delivered appropriately can help those affected feel they are not alone in facing difficult situations.
In the midst of public discourse, the public needs to realize that the events being discussed are not merely conversation fodder, but issues related to human life, feelings, and dignity.
However, not all comments have the same purpose and meaning. The comment “lucky I got out of that boarding school back then,” for example, connects the event being discussed with the speaker's personal experience.
This statement is interesting to observe, but it cannot be used as evidence of a direct link between one's personal experience and the case currently receiving public attention. Every piece of information must be understood based on context and supported by verifiable facts.
These comments were observed via an Instagram post by the account @ompunet_ntb on September 21, 2026, which discussed an alleged abuse case at an Islamic boarding school in Lombok.
When Emotions Dominate the Conversation
One of the challenges in using social media is how a person conveys an opinion when emotions and a sense of justice arise simultaneously.
Anger toward an alleged violation is an understandable response. However, emotions not accompanied by consideration risk developing into insults, the spread of unverified information, and even unilateral judgment.
Criticism and demands for justice can certainly be conveyed without using harsh words, demeaning others, or spreading information that has not been proven true.
In the context of alleged sexual violence, case handling must also pay attention to the protection of victims and applicable legal provisions, including Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 12 of 2022 concerning the Crime of Sexual Violence.
On the other hand, the principle of the presumption of innocence must still be respected in overseeing legal processes. This principle is not an excuse to ignore victim reports, but a reminder that every alleged violation must be handled objectively, seriously, and based on evidence.
Thus, concern for victims and respect for legal processes are not two contradictory things. Both can go hand in hand as part of efforts to realize justice.
The Importance of Ethics and Digital Literacy
The phenomenon of comments on social media shows that digital literacy is not just understood as the ability to use applications, access the internet, or create content.
Digital literacy also includes the ability to verify the truth of information, understand the context of an event, assess the impact of language use, and consider responsibility before expressing an opinion.
The ability to think critically in accessing and evaluating information is an important part of media and information literacy as emphasized by UNESCO (2021).
In this regard, schools and universities have an important role in building awareness of polite and responsible language, particularly through Indonesian language learning that is relevant to daily life.
Students can be invited to analyze the use of language in social media comments, distinguish between facts and opinions, understand the meaning of a statement, and construct criticism based on clear reasoning.
Through this approach, language learning does not just focus on mastering grammar, reading skills, and writing. More than that, language learning can be a means to form critical thinking skills, foster empathy, and build responsible communication.
Social media users can also start changes through simple habits. Before posting a comment, one needs to consider whether the information conveyed is trustworthy, whether the choice of words used has the potential to hurt others, and whether the comment provides benefits for resolving the issue.
If one finds information that has the potential to endanger or harm someone, social media users can utilize the reporting features available without having to participate in spreading that information.
Such an attitude is part of the digital responsibility that needs to be built together.
Listening with Empathy, Expressing Opinions with Responsibility
Ultimately, the seven sample comments observed cannot be considered a complete picture of public response on social media. The data only shows a portion of language use in conversations regarding the alleged abuse case at an Islamic boarding school in Lombok.
Although limited, these examples provide a lesson that word choice has an influence on how an event is understood, discussed, and responded to by the public.
Social media should not only be a place to vent emotions, but also a space to build concern, strengthen solidarity, and encourage better change.
The public does not have to stop expressing opinions when facing issues that concern a sense of justice. Instead, everyone needs to learn to convey views critically without losing empathy and responsibility.
Behind the noisy social media conversations, there are voices that need to be listened to earnestly. There are parties who need support, issues that require serious handling, and a public that needs to continue learning to use language wisely.
Therefore, before typing and pressing the send button, it is important for every social media user to realize that every word has an impact.
Concern is not just about how loudly someone voices an opinion, but also about how they maintain human dignity through the words chosen.
Because true digital empathy is not only seen from the courage to speak, but also from the wisdom in using language.
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