Multimodal Analysis of Indonesian-English Code Switching Across Tiktok and Instagram (2023–2025)

Abstrak

This study examines Indonesian and English code switching on TikTok and Instagram from 2023 to 2025 to understand how users express bilingual identities through multimodal interactions. Previous studies often focused only on captions, comments, or videos, which produced a limited view of how bilingual expression operates across platforms. To address this issue, the present research analyzes code switching as a unified communicative practice where spoken language, written text, and audience responses work together to construct meaning. The aim is to describe how these bilingual choices support self presentation, emotional expression, and engagement within Indonesia’s contemporary digital environment.This research uses a qualitative descriptive approach combined with multimodal discourse analysis to examine selected posts that show clear Indonesian and English alternation. The findings indicate that users apply code switching for several purposes, including humor, explanation, identity building, emotional emphasis, and civic expression. Over time, these practices shift from casual stylistic preferences to more intentional strategies that support solidarity, reflection, and social commentary. The study also shows that platform features, audience characteristics, and cultural developments influence the ways bilingual expression emerges and circulates online. Overall, the results provide a clearer understanding of how Indonesian social media users negotiate identity and belonging through multimodal bilingual practices. This study also highlights the increasing importance of code switching in shaping communication patterns within Indonesia’s rapidly evolving social media landscape.