The Influence of Social Communication during Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This paper presents on how social communication asserts its influence on social life during Corona Virus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. Basically, communication is an important media where people build their relationship. The advance of technological information and communication has improved ways to communicate with the availability of media as an alternative of face-to-face communication. For this reason, this paper discusses approaches to social communication during the pandemic. The focus is on how communication changes since the beginning of Covid-19 pandemic. Such phenomenon has prompted distances among society which is known as social distancing. It is not to ban the moves of society, yet to prevent the spread of the virus by implementing the distance. Besides, it is significant to minimize social interaction due to a serious threat of Covid-19. In the case of Indonesia, country lockdown is not chosen to be implemented; yet, physical and social distancing is chosen as an effort to the pandemic prevention. Furthermore, strict health protocols in social interaction have been practiced and maintained during current new life era. Because social distancing is practiced widely, engaging in communicative activities using media has played important roles for society. As a result, technology plays a significant change in social communication that occurs in the way they communicate, how they think, and how they behave as social beings.