Representation of Pink and Green Symbols as Netizens' Resistance in the 17+8 Movement of People's Demands on Instagram

Abstract

Instagram functions not only as a platform for information sharing but also
as a digital public sphere that enables people to express aspirations and
collective resistance. This phenomenon is reflected in the 17+8 People's
Demands Movement, which was represented through the use of pink and
green color symbols that later evolved into the Brave Pink and Hero Green
trends on Instagram. This study aims to analyze the representation of pink
and green symbols as forms of Indonesian netizens’ resistance within the
17+8 People's Demands Movement. The novelty of this research lies in its
focus on color symbols as a medium of digital resistance communication,
whereas previous studies have predominantly examined resistance
through textual narratives and hashtags. This research employs a
qualitative descriptive approach using Roland Barthes’ semiotic analysis,
which examines denotative, connotative, and mythical meanings. The data
were collected from Instagram posts containing pink and green symbols
related to the movement through observation, documentation, and
literature review. The findings reveal that, at the denotative level, the pink
and green symbols function as the visual identity of the movement. At the
connotative level, these symbols represent courage, solidarity, hope, and
the spirit of struggle in articulating socio-political demands. At the
mythical level, the symbols construct a narrative of public resistance
against social inequality through digital participation. The study also
demonstrates that Instagram serves as a digital public sphere that
facilitates the production, distribution, and exchange of meanings in a
participatory manner, thereby strengthening collective awareness among
netizens. This study concludes that visual symbols on social media
function as a medium of political communication and digital activism in
fostering collective resistance in the digital era.