Construction of Hoax Circulated in Social Media

This study aims at explore the construction of hoax circulation discourse that causes anxiety and emotions for individuals and community groups. This study was a qualitative analysis method that produced description data in the form of words, sentences, and ideas about nature, circumstances, symptoms, and motivations that arose from certain objects. Data sources for this research were news circulated online: (1) Artificial eggs from China, (2) A Mysterious lecturer in Yogyakarta, and (3) ‘Jengkol' (Archidendron pauciflorum) is as an anticancer medicine. The study of hoax discourse construction is important to be conducted so that people do not easily believe in news related to sources and the validity that cannot be accounted for. This research found out that hoax created by: 1) using sensational and provocative titles, 2) using visual elements as an attraction, 3) using unpopular scientific diction, 4) sometimes threatening, 5) quoting invalid/credible sources, 6) not only sourced from blogs, but from official sites, but circulated in the readers' column, 7) following the latest issues in the community.