Dakwah Digital dan Budaya Canceling: Analisis Interaksi Netizen terhadap Pendakwah Viral di Media Sosial

Abstract

The development of social media has transformed Islamic preaching practices from conventional communication models into participatory and open digital spaces shaped by intense netizen interaction. This transformation has contributed to the emergence of cancel culture targeting viral preachers through collective criticism, digital boycotts, account reporting, and the delegitimization of religious authority in online public spheres. This study aims to analyze patterns of netizen interaction toward viral preachers on social media and examine their implications for the legitimacy of digital da‘wah within the framework of communication and digital public sphere studies. The research employs a qualitative descriptive approach using library research and digital discourse analysis of literature concerning digital da‘wah, cancel culture, social media algorithms, and online public participation. Data were analyzed through reduction, categorization, and thematic interpretation techniques. The findings indicate that cancel culture on social media is shaped by the interaction between platform algorithms, virality culture, preacher personal branding, and the emotional participation of netizens. Digital interaction not only affects the popularity of preachers but also constructs new forms of religious authority that are highly vulnerable to public delegitimization. This study argues that digital da‘wah requires adaptive, ethical, and digital literacy-based communication strategies to maintain the legitimacy of religious messages within the contemporary digital public sphere.