Pengalaman Korban Catfishing Pada Hubungan Romantis di Media Sosial (Studi Fenomenologi Pengguna Media Sosial X Korban Catfishing)

Adolescents today are inseparable from the use of technology, particularly social media. While social media facilitates easier communication, it also introduces new phenomena such as catfishing, which has become increasingly prevalent, especially in digital romantic relationships. This phenomenon negatively impacts victims’ trust and psychological well-being. This study explores the lived experiences of four victims who were targeted by the same perpetrator, aiming to understand how they construct meaning from their relationships with the deceiver. Joseph A. DeVito’s Interpersonal Communication Theory was employed to identify the stages of relational development, while Buller and Burgoon’s Interpersonal Deception Theory (IDT) was utilized to analyze the perpetrator’s manipulation strategies, including love bombing, playing victim, and the use of false identities. A qualitative phenomenological approach was applied using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), with data collected through in-depth interviews. The findings reveal that the victims progressed through the stages of contact, involvement, intimacy, deterioration, and dissolution, with some experiencing an attempt at repair. The perpetrator employed strategic message management, information control, and image management to maintain deception. Initially, victims interpreted the communication as sincere affection but later recognized it as a deliberate manipulation tactic. This study highlights the importance of enhancing digital literacy as a preventive measure against catfishing.