Privacy, Trust, and Digital Boundaries: A Study of WhatsApp-Mediated Romantic Relationships Among Emerging Adults

Dessy Trisilowaty; Nurul Ummi Apriliyani

doi:10.55927/eajmr.v5i2.4

Authors

Dessy Trisilowaty Universitas Trunodjoyo Madura
Nurul Ummi Apriliyani Universitas Trunodjoyo Madura

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55927/eajmr.v5i2.4

Keywords:

Whatsapps, Privacy, Digital Relations

Abstract

This study aims to examine how early adult adolescents manage communication privacy in romantic relationships through WhatsApp features, emphasizing the symbolic, emotional, and relational meanings formed in digital interactions. Based on the theory of Communication Privacy Management (CPM), this study analyzes how individuals negotiate privacy boundaries, interpret digital cues, and experience relational tensions mediated by platform affordance such as last seen, message punctuation, profile photo, and status. This study uses a qualitative approach with an in-depth interview method with early adults who are or have been in romantic relationships. The results show that WhatsApp features not only function as a technical communication tool, but also as a relational artifact that shapes perceptions of intimacy, trust, and emotional availability. This research also reveals a paradox between transparency and personal autonomy in digital relationships. Although openness is often associated with trust, excessive accessibility demands have the potential to turn into a practice of relational control.

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