CRISIS COMMUNICATION IN THE DIGITAL ERA ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC RESPONSES TO CRISES CAUSED BY CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA KOMUNIKASI KRISIS DALAM ERA DIGITAL ANALISIS TANGGAPAN PUBLIK TERHADAP KRISIS YANG DISEBABKAN OLEH KELUHAN KONSUMEN DI MEDIA SOSIAL Section Articles

Abstract

The advancement of digital technology has transformed the landscape of crisis communication. Today, consumer complaints that emerge on social media can quickly become a crisis for companies. This study aims to analyze public responses to crises caused by consumer complaints on social media and its implications for crisis communication practices in the digital era.The research method used is qualitative content analysis. Data was collected from public comments on social media platforms related to crisis cases triggered by consumer complaints. The sample was selected purposively based on criteria of incidents that caused reputational crises for companies. The research findings show that public responses to crises caused by consumer complaints on social media have several characteristics. First, the public tends to side with consumers and criticize the company's actions that are considered unsatisfactory. Second, the public utilizes social media as a means to voice protests and demands against the company. Third, the rapid spread of information on social media forces companies to provide rapid and effective responses. The findings of this study highlight the importance for companies to implement crisis communication strategies that are adaptive to the dynamics of social media. Companies need to build closer relationships with consumers, monitor conversations on social media, and develop emergency protocols that can anticipate potential crises triggered by consumer complaints. This research contributes to the development of crisis communication studies in the digital era.