Digital Technology Effects on Lifestyles in Marginalized Communities in Indonesia: Post Covid-19 Disaster

SOCIOLOGÍA Y TECNOCIENCIA, 15.1 (2025): 122-137 ISSN: 1989-8487 Efectos de la tecnología digital en los estilos de vida de las comunidades marginadas de Indonesia desastre post Covid-19 Digital Technology Effects on Lifestyles in Marginalized Communities in Indonesia: Post Covid-19 Disaster HARIFUDDIN HARIFUDDIN Department of sociology Bosowa University of Makassar. Indonesia [email protected] ORCID : https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6173-7506 FAIDAH AZUZ Department of Agribussiness Bosowa University of Makassar. Indonesia [email protected] ORCID : https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3729-7579 ASMIRAH ASMIRAH Department of sociology Bosowa University of Makassar.Indonesia [email protected] HASLINDA B. ANRIANI Tadulako University. Indonesia [email protected] Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7437-6367 ANDI BURCHANUDDIN Department of sociology Bosowa University of Makassar Indonesia [email protected] Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6770-7914 ABDUL MALIK ISKANDAR Department of sociology of Education Mega Rezky University of Makassar Indonesia [email protected] ORCID : https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7191-3606 Recibido/Received: 07/01/2024. Aceptado/Accepted: 18/11/2024. Cómo citar/How to cite: Harifuddin, Harifuddin, et al., (2025). Digital Technology Effects on Lifestyles in Marginalized Communities in Indonesia: Post Covid-19 Disaster. Sociología y Tecnociencia, 15 (1), 122-137. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24197/st.1.2025.122137. Digital Technology Effects on Lifestyles in Marginalized Communities …………….. SOCIOLOGÍA Y TECNOCIENCIA, 15.1 (2025): 122-137 ISSN: 1989-8487 123 Artículo de acceso abierto distribuido bajo una Licencia Creative Commons Atribución 4.0 Internacional (CC-BY 4.0). / Open access article under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY 4.0). Resumen: La tecnología digital tiene un impacto en los estilos de vida y el comportamiento de las personas después de la pandemia de Covid-19. El propósito de este estudio es analizar (1) ¿cómo funciona la tecnología digital como determinante del estilo de vida de las comunidades marginadas tras el desastre pandémico de Covid-19? (2) ¿cómo afecta la tecnología digital al comportamiento de las comunidades marginadas tras el desastre pandémico de Covid-19? (3) ¿cuál es la dirección de los efectos sociales de la digitalización en las comunidades marginadas tras el desastre pandémico de Covid-19? Esta investigación se llevó a cabo en Makassar, provincia de Sulawesi del Sur, Indonesia, utilizando un diseño exploratorio-secuencial. Para la recopilación de datos se utilizaron entrevistas en profundidad, observaciones, encuestas y estudios bibliográficos. Las técnicas de análisis de datos cualitativos se basaron en la técnica de los tres pasos y las de datos cuantitativos, en la tabulación de frecuencias. Los resultados de este estudio son: (1) la tecnología digital como determinante del estilo de vida en las comunidades marginadas a través como medio de comunicación, como medio de construcción de redes sociales, como fuente de conocimiento e información, como medio de transacciones, como facilidad de entretenimiento. (2) la tecnología digital afecta al comportamiento de las comunidades marginadas en forma de tener muchas cuentas en los medios sociales, aparecer en los medios sociales, formar parte de la socialité, publicar con frecuencia las actividades diarias en los medios sociales, aparecer con atractivas apariciones en los medios sociales, comprar a través de tiendas online. (3) la dirección del efecto social de la tecnología digital se convertirá en una necesidad y parte de la vida humana. En conclusión, la tecnología digital afecta al comportamiento y estilo de vida de las personas hasta después del desastre de la pandemia de Covid-19. Palabras clave: Tecnología digital; catástrofe pandémica posterior a Covid-19; comunidad marginada; medios sociales; estilo de vida y comportamiento Abstract: Digital technology has an impact on people's lifestyles and behavior after the Covid-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study is to analyze (1) how digital technology works as a determinant of lifestyle in marginalized communities after the Covid-19 pandemic disaster? (2) how digital technology affects the behavior of marginalized communities after the Covid-19 pandemic disaster? (3) what is the direction of the social effects of digitalization on marginalized communities after the Covid-19 pandemic disaster? This research was conducted in Makassar, South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia using an exploratory-sequential design. Data collection utilized in-depth interviews, observations, surveys, and literature studies. Qualitative data analysis techniques using the 3-step technique and quantitative data analysis using frequency tabulation. The results of this study are: (1) digital technology as a determinant of lifestyle in marginalized communities through as a means of communication, as a means of building social networks, as the source of knowledge and information, as a means of transactions, as entertainment facility. (2) digital technology affects the behavior of marginalized communities in the form of having many social media accounts, appearing on social media, becoming part of the socialite, frequently post daily activities on social media, appear post attractive appearances on social media, shop via online stores. (3) the direction of the social effect of digital technology will become a necessity and part of human life. In conclusion, digital technology affects people's behavior and lifestyle until after the Covid-19 pandemic disaster. Keywords: Digital technology; postCovid-19 pandemic disaster; marginalized community; social media; lifestyle and behavior. Harifuddin, Harifuddin et al., SOCIOLOGÍA Y TECNOCIENCIA, 15.1 (2025): 122-137 ISSN: 1989-8487 124 1. INTRODUCTION The Covid-19 pandemic disaster has changed the lives of all humans around the world in their interactions with each other (Alam et al., 2022; Maison et al., 2021; Onyeaka et al., 2021). Before the pandemic disaster occurred, humans interacted primary and face-to-face. However, during the pandemic, there are no longer interactions that occur directly but using digital technology, especially such as smartphones and tablets (Iivari et al., 2020; Pandya & Lodha, 2021). Through digital technology, humans can not only interact with each other between two people but can interact with many people simultaneously while enjoying the entertainment provided by digital technology simultaneously (Haleem et al., 2022; Kraus et al., 2021). Thus the prohibition during the pandemic to not have direct interaction as some government regulations by keeping a distance to avoid transmission of Covid19 can be implemented by the community. Digital technology is understood as a technology where its operation no longer requires a lot of human labour and is more likely to utilize an automated system with a computer system (Tulinayo et al., 2018). In marginalized communities in Indonesia such as beggars and scavengers, these conditions are also experienced and force them to adjust because they have to provide for their families. In fact, reality shows that their economic life has limitations (Fatimah et al., 2019; Nugraha, 2021). They work in the urban non-formal sector with uncertain income such as begging, scrap collecting, construction labour (Fatoni & Susilo, 2023). Specifically in the city of Makassar, there are around 11,037 residents (BPS, 2023) who work as scavengers or collect used goods. There are also those who work as beggars and construction laborers. The use of digital technology among marginalized communities was initially intended for their children's learning needs. In assisting their children to learn online, they use the zoom and google meet application platforms (Anriani et al., 2021). In its development, digital technology can be used in online transactions such as buying and selling goods via the internet at several online shops. The use of online media in interacting continues until the covid-19 pandemic is over. However, until the covid19 pandemic is over, it is sustainable and has become a new trend of online interaction in all aspects of life and all groups of society. There has been a lot of research in this regard and it can be mapped into three areas. First, research that focuses on the social impact of increased digitization during the pandemic (Hamamoto et al., 2023; Kamaruddin et al., 2022; Tasmilah et al., 2022). The research states that digitalization can facilitate socialization between individuals, increase employee productivity in the office, and facilitate the learning process. Secondly, research that looks at the social psychological impact of digital use during the Covid-19 pandemic on society (Alqahtani et al., 2022; Krishnamoorthy et al., 2021; Saladino et al., 2020) as it is stated that people in general experience anxiety and stress because they are worried about contracting Covid-19 from their interactions. Third, research that focuses on socio-economic aspects (Fahta Digital Technology Effects on Lifestyles in Marginalized Communities …………….. SOCIOLOGÍA Y TECNOCIENCIA, 15.1 (2025): 122-137 ISSN: 1989-8487 125 et al., 2022; Siregar, 2021; Zhang et al., 2022). The study stated that there was significant economic growth due to the use of digitalization. Based on existing research, there is no research on the social effects of digitalization that focuses on marginalized groups such as scavenger groups, beggar groups and construction workers and the social effects take place after the pandemic. Therefore, this research aims to complement the shortcomings of existing research. Based on this description, 3 research questions can be asked as follows (1) how does digital technology work as a determinant of lifestyle in marginalized communities? (2) how does digital technology affect the behavior of marginalized communities after the Covid-19 pandemic disaster? (3) what is the direction of the social effects of digitalization on marginalized communities after the Covid-19 pandemic disaster? The answers to these questions will be an input for the government in mapping and making policies for providing social assistance and empowerment programs for marginalized communities. This research is based on the argument that digitalization has an impact on changing lifestyles to become modern through the use of sophisticated technology. The sophistication of technological means is useful to facilitate human communication on social media during learning, during transactions, when sending documents, and so on. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW In the era of the Covid-19 pandemic, the use of internet technology is the main and dominant thing in activities and connecting between people (Langley et al., 2021). This has continued until after the pandemic. Marginalized communities such as beggar groups, scavenger groups, and labor groups are also conditioned by these circumstances and use internet technology to interact. Although their economic situation shows that their finances are limited, in the end, many of them can adapt to the need for internet or digital technology, especially for the continuity of their children's learning (Mohd Basar et al., 2021) who are still often online or online transaction activities on many online stores. Bureaucratic services at government offices also use online services (Chen et al., 2021) in sending personal data and documents. Thus, people have no choice but to follow the new trend and it requires the use of modern digital technology as well. The ownership of increasingly sophisticated digital technology signifies an increase in lifestyle (Plekhanov et al., 2023). The more branded a gadget is, the more expensive and sophisticated it is, and vice versa. However, there are also those who require their gadgets not to be sophisticated, as long as they can communicate (Serdyukov, 2017). 3. MATERIAL AND METHOD This study used a mixed methods design (Sugiyono, 2011; Tashakkori & Teddie, 2010) with a qualitative-quantitative design (exploratory-sequential) Harifuddin, Harifuddin et al., SOCIOLOGÍA Y TECNOCIENCIA, 15.1 (2025): 122-137 ISSN: 1989-8487 126 (Creswell, 2013). The research location took place in Makassar city, South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. Data collection used in-depth interviews, involved observation, surveys, and literature studies. Qualitative data analysis using the Miles and Huberman 3-step model technique (1999), while quantitative data analysis uses descriptive quantitative with frequency tabulation (Suyanto, 2015). The research population is all people belonging to marginalized groups, total 11,037 people consisting of beggars, scavengers, construction workers, and so on (BPS, 2023). The sample was drawn using the Slovin Formula (Slovin, 1960) with a margin of error of 0.05 as outlined in the following table. Table 1. Research Sample, 2024 No. Marginalized Community n 1 Beggar’s group 17 2 Scavenger’s group 17 3 Labor’s group 16 Total 50 Source: BPS Makassar City 2023. Table 2. Characteristics of research respondents No. Demography f % 1. Age a) 16-20 years b) 21-25 years c) 25-30 years d) 31-35 years e) >35 years 7 14 8 11 10 14 28 16 22 20 2. Gender a) Male b) Female 39 11 78 22 3. Education a) Not completed primary school b) Completed primary school c) Not graduated from junior high school d) Completed junior high school e) Not graduated from senior high school f) High school graduate 5 8 19 6 9 3 10 16 38 12 18 6 4. Income per month a) < Rp. 500.000 b) Rp. 501.000-1.000.000 c) Rp. 1.001.000-1.500.000 d) Rp. 1.500.000-2.000.000 e) > Rp. 2.000.000 7 6 13 15 9 14 12 26 30 18 5. Number of children a) 0 b) 1 5 8 10 16 Digital Technology Effects on Lifestyles in Marginalized Communities …………….. SOCIOLOGÍA Y TECNOCIENCIA, 15.1 (2025): 122-137 ISSN: 1989-8487 127 c) 2 d) 3 e) >4 21 9 7 42 18 14 6. Number children who attend school a) 0 b) 1-2 c) 3-4 d) >4 11 26 9 4 22 52 18 8 Source: questionnaire 2023. . 4.RESULT AND DISCUSSION 4.1. Digital Technology as a Determinant of Lifestyle in Marginalized Communities The Covid-19 pandemic, which has caused direct interaction between individuals to shift to indirect interaction, has made humans choose digital technology as the most effective means of interaction and communication. Through digital technology, people can connect with each other anywhere and anytime. For this group of respondents, the means used to interact with each other affects their lifestyle and this affects the way they interact. For them, interacting using digital means is like being at the level of an elite class society where with these digital facilities they can procure things easily, unlike their actual situation where obtaining things is not easy. Digital technology also allows this group to consume information at any time and always be updated so that they know quickly the events that take place elsewhere or around them. As a result, their knowledge and insights about the growing social phenomena have increased such as knowledge about the hypebeast lifestyle, popular and trendy branded goods and so on. They also like these items but cannot afford them and they prefer to look for level 2 and 3 quality items that they can afford. In general, marginalized communities use digital technology as a source of much entertainment for them. They can download films, songs, even games and so on so that digital technology has become a 'basic need' along with the 'internet'. Harifuddin, Harifuddin et al., SOCIOLOGÍA Y TECNOCIENCIA, 15.1 (2025): 122-137 ISSN: 1989-8487 128 Figure 1. Digital technology as a lifestyle determinant. Digital technology as a means of communication. This is indeed the primary function of digital technology in the form of mobile phones or other gadgets and almost everyone uses this kind of technology and marginalized communities call it "Android". They procured mobile phones with Android technology to fulfil this primary purpose. But the distribution of respondents' answers stated that from the beggar group there were 13 or (26%) who stated this, from the scavenger group there were 11 people or (22%) and from the construction worker group there were 3 respondents or (6%) who gave such answers. In addition, the rest of each of these groups did not respond. In addition to the above, digital technology as a means of building social networks. The interesting thing about this digital technology is that its features are designed from the beginning to connect with other people from all over the world. Thus, a person is conditioned to have friendships with many people in cyberspace without physical contact. The advantages of technology in building social networks were stated by almost all respondents, namely 11 people or (22%) from the beggar group, 9 respondents or (18%) from the scavenger group, and 13 respondents or (26%) from the labor group who said it. It is undeniable that Digital technology as the source of knowledge and information. This is another important purpose of having digital technology. Digital technology allows all information to be available and accessible via android. This was also stated by more than half of the respondents, namely 5 people or (1%) from 13 11 5 7 6 11 9 6 13 8 3 13 7 6 5 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 Digital Technology as a means of communication Digital Technology as a means of building sical networks Digital Technology as the source of knowledge and information Digital technology as an entertainment facility Digital technology as means of transactions Beggar's group Scavenger's group Labour's group Digital Technology Effects on Lifestyles in Marginalized Communities …………….. SOCIOLOGÍA Y TECNOCIENCIA, 15.1 (2025): 122-137 ISSN: 1989-8487 129 the beggar group, 6 respondents or (12%) from the scavenger group, and 7 respondents or (14%) from the construction worker group. In Digital technology, one of the features that everyone needs is an entertainment facility. The facility can be enjoyed by all digital technology enthusiasts. They can enjoy entertainment through available films, through songs and so on. This is what gets a lot of recognition from respondents, namely 7 respondents or (14%) from the beggar group, 13 respondents or (26%) from the scavenger group, and 6 respondents or (12%) from the construction worker group. Digital technology as a means of transactions. The most interesting phenomenon is the use of digital technology in transactions. This is also due to the tendency of people to shop online by not leaving their homes or workplaces and they still get the goods they buy in stores online. The payment also happens online. This means that transactions take place between sellers and buyers without meeting faceto-face and take place using digital technology. Regarding these online transactions, there were 6 respondents or (12%) from the beggar group, there were 8 respondents or (16%) from the scavenger group, and 5 respondents or (1%) from the construction labor group who expressed their agreement regarding this phenomenon which is now trending. Looking at the answers of respondents who support the statements in this research item, it shows that this is the ongoing phenomenon of digital technology after the Covid-19 pandemic disaster that has taken place since the pandemic took place. Respondents who did not provide an answer did not show disagreement with the phenomenon but rather they did not answer or respond to the statement. In fact, those who did not give an answer are active android phone users and make extensive use of the features provided. Thus, it can be said that digital technology is functional for marginalized communities, especially for their lifestyle in supporting their activities and work. 4.2. Digital technology and behavior of marginalized communities after the Covid-19 pandemic disaster After the Covid-19 pandemic disaster, digital technology has become an important part of people's lives in general around the world, including people in Indonesia, and especially marginalized communities in the research location. In marginalized communities, digital technology through smartphones has constructed their behavior and lifestyle, which means that the lifestyle is always based on the existence of digital technology. There is a term now referring to this condition of society as "Digital Society" which means that all aspects of life, behavior and social actions of the community are based on digital technology. These behaviors and social actions include (1) having many social media accounts. (2) appear on social media. (3) become part of the socialite. (4) frequently post daily activities on social media. (5) post attractive appearances on social media. (6) shop via online stores. Harifuddin, Harifuddin et al., SOCIOLOGÍA Y TECNOCIENCIA, 15.1 (2025): 122-137 ISSN: 1989-8487 130 In marginalized communities, through smartphones they enjoyed the entertainment provided by these devices, build social relations, business relations, transactions and so on through these digital technologies. Although each individual has a diverse tendency in using digital technology devices, there is a general trend that they do based on the community group, for example digital technology in the teacher group certainly uses its technological devices predominantly in the aspect of education and learning. Similarly, this marginalized group also uses it in the interests of their work. In the construction labor group, they use smartphones to find information on the construction of roofs that require laborers. The scavenger group will look for information on where to sell goods or collectors of used goods who buy at high prices. Beggars will seek information on the provision of government assistance and subsidies to the poor, and so on. In general, the tendency of marginalized communities in the research locations is described in Figure 2 below. Figure 2. Digital technology affected behavior. Have many social media accounts. Having social media is an important part of digital technology because it is through social media that digital technology functions. This was also the case for respondents in this study where 15 respondents or (30%) from the beggar group stated that they had a social media account, 12 respondents (24%) from the scavenger group had an account, and 8 respondents (16%) from the construction worker group had an account. A person who does not have a social media account is considered unsociable and does not keep up with the changing times. 30 30 8 28 26 12 24 24 6 26 22 18 16 10 0046 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Have many social media accounts Appear on Social media Become part of socialite Frequently post daily activities on social media Post attractive appearences on social media Shop via online stores Beggars's group Scavenger's group Labour's group Digital Technology Effects on Lifestyles in Marginalized Communities …………….. SOCIOLOGÍA Y TECNOCIENCIA, 15.1 (2025): 122-137 ISSN: 1989-8487 137 Media as a Catalyst: Exploring the Impact of Instagram on Health Promotion Practices in Private Hospitals of West Java. Sociología Y Tecnociencia, 14(2), 23–39. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.24197/st.2.2024.23-39 Zhang, J., Zhao, W., Cheng, B., Li, A., Wang, Y., Yang, N., & Tian, Y. (2022). The Impact of Digital Economy on the Economic Growth and the Development Strategies in the post-COVID-19 Era: Evidence From Countries Along the “Belt and Road.” Frontiers in Public Health, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.856142 Zvezdina, M., Julia, S., Yulianna, M., & Sergei, P. (2024). Digitalisasi transportasi di wilayah makro Rusia Selatan dan konsekuensinya terhadap lingkungan. Sosiologi Dan Teknologi, 14(2), 1–22. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.24197/st.2.2024.1-22