Strategi Komunikasi dan Manajemen Privasi Pengguna Second Account Instagram: Studi Kualitatif

Abstract

The use of Instagram second accounts has become increasingly common among university students as a more personal, selective, and restricted communication space than primary accounts. This study aims to understand communication strategies and privacy management practices among university students who use Instagram second accounts in the Jabodetabek area. The study employed a descriptive qualitative approach within a constructivist paradigm. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with six active student users and one supporting informant working as a Social Media Specialist at Cretivox, complemented by participatory observation and documentation. Data were analyzed using the Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña model, while data validity was strengthened through source triangulation. The findings show that students differentiate the functions of primary and second accounts according to audience characteristics and communication purposes. Primary accounts tend to be used to construct a more formal and controlled self-image, whereas second accounts are used to share daily activities, opinions, humor, personal experiences, and more spontaneous content. Communication strategies involve audience selection and analysis, message adjustment, a more casual communication style, and the use of private-account settings and Close Friends. In terms of privacy management, students control information, restrict access, select followers, filter content, and configure privacy settings. Although the possibility of information leakage remains, users attempt to reduce the risk by screening content and audiences. These findings indicate that Instagram second accounts function as a back-stage space that enables freer self-expression while maintaining personal privacy boundaries.