1. Introduction
New media is a revolution in communication. There
are two basic changes that have been made by new
media: technical revolution and structural revolution.
In structural revolutions, fundamental changes take
place in the coordinates of space and time. Media can
be a form of communication fixed in space (in one
place) or they may allow communication between dif-
ferent places. Furthermore, they can fix the moment
of communication to a certain time or enable to bridge
time. In a technical communication revolution, a fun-
damental change takes place in the structure of con-
nections, artificial memories and/or the reproduction
of their contents. (Van Dijk, 4-5)
As a new technology and new medium of
communication, the Internet has stirred the existing
spatial arrangements and significations inside the
home as well as having induced a process of
renegotiation and re-definition of the boundaries
between the (private) and the public world.
(Bakardjieva, 163)
According to Van Dijk, Space which is used to be a
barrier in communication process is no longer a
barrier in communication through new media. Frances
Cairncross said that distance will no longer determine
the cost of communicating electronically (Bucy, 2002:
7). If we put it into the context of social media, the
death of distance can be seen from the possibility to
make friends, chat, and discuss with others who are
geographically located far away from us, for example
between a person in Jakarta and his friend in
Bandung, Merauke, Ontario, or New Jersey.
Besides geographical distance, social distance also no
longer determines communication process. For
example, a fan can follow Lady Gaga or Oprah
Winfrey on twitter. Then the fans will get all the
information that tweeted by Lady Gaga and Oprah. If
the two celebrities feel that the fans are important,
then they can follow back and have a conversation on
twitter. According to Van Dijk, this case indicating the
scale extension of society trough new media, a
condition where people can connect without
limitation institutions.
Although new media have brought major changes in
communications, new media still have limitations in
delivering the non-verbal messages like body
language, face expression, or long pause of breathing.
Van Dijk said that even though new media extend the
reach of human ability to socialize, but on the other
hand, new media also reduces the scale of society, a
condition where new media replace face-to-face
communication function. It means, not every stimuli
can be delivered. This causes the communication that
occurs through new media become less touch of non-
verbal messages.
However, human are learning creatures, he/she has a
character called subjective creativity. It is a condition
where human are continuing to learn and adapt to his/
her environment. For example, in a conversation via
telephone, human has limitation to visualize the
object of conversation. To make it clearer, we move
our hands while explaining something on telephone
conversation. Or, while in Internet chat-rooms, man
created emoticons such as  and  to replace smile
or sad expression.
One form of new media that generally used today is
social media. Social media refers to online
communities that are participatory, conversational,
and fluid. These communities enable members to
produce, publish, control, critique, rank, and interact
with online content. The term can encompass any
online community that promotes the individual while
also emphasizing an individual’s relationship to the
community, the rights of all members to collaborate
and be heard within a protective space, which
welcomes the opinions and contributions of
participants. As noted above, the phrase social media
is an umbrella phrase for social-networking sites,
virtual worlds, social news and bookmarking (Tuten,
2008: 20).
According to alexa.com, Facebook and twitter are two
most popular social networking sites in Indonesia.
Facebook is a social utility that connects people, to
keep up with friends, upload photos, share links and
videos. Twitter is a social networking and
microblogging service utilizing instant messaging,
SMS, or a web interface.
In this paper, the authors would like to discuss further,
what a person do to keep their distance (intimate,
personal, social, and public) when communicating in
social media. There are two social media that I
wanted to discuss: Facebook and twitter. There for, I
will observe and participate directly in both social
media to capture the phenomenon of the distance and
spaces in social media. I hope this observation will
encourages a further research on personal space in
social media.
2. Theoretical framework
Human communicates with verbal and non-verbal
message. The literal definition of non-verbal message
is every cue that doesn't include words. According to
Knapp (in Mulyana, 2007: 347), non-verbal term is
usually used to describe everything beyond the words
could explain.
Essentially, a non-verbal message functions in one of
three ways: it replaces, reinforces, or contradicts a
verbal message (Tubbs and Moss, 2006: 111). Non-
verbal messages that replace verbal messages can be Tab. 1 Social Distance Zone
viewed from a head nod means "agree" or "yes" or
shaking head which means "disagree" or "no. Non Intimate Close phase Far Phase
verbal messages reinforce verbal messages visible for distance Voice Soft Audible
example when one father puts his hand on hips while (0- whisper whisper
angry to his son. Functions that should we look at is 18inch) Message Top secret Very
non-verbal language as opposed to verbal language, confidentia
for example when a boss gives instructions to his l
subordinates. Instructions could just be followed but Personal Voice Soft Slightly
pulled thing, frowning or breath can indicate that he distance lowered
would have preferred not be given the additional job. (1,5-4 Message Personal Personal
feet) subject subject
Although essentially non-verbal communication is matter matter
universal, the interpretation of non-verbal messages Social Voice Full Full with
can be very diverse. Interpretation of nonverbal distance slight
messages mainly depends on the message itself, self- (4-12 overloaded
communicant (receiver of the messages), and the feet) Message Non Public
circumstances that surrounded communicator. There personal information
are many of non-verbal messages in human information to others to
communication, thus, Tubbs and Moss (2006: 111) hear
stated that even in communicating online, we have Public Voice Loud, Loudest
some though limited access to non-verbal cues. distance talking to a
Samovar and Porter (Mulyana, 2007: 352) divide the (12-25 group
non-verbal messages into two general categories. First feet) Message Public Hailing,
is a behavior that consists of appearance and dress, information departures
movement and posture, facial expressions, eye for others to
contact, touch, odors, and paralanguage. Second is the hear
space, time, and silence. This paper will discuss one
form of non-verbal message that the use of space in Communication through distance is different in every
communication. culture. Hall obtained his findings after interviewing
American people. Thus, the distances can only be
Every human has his/her personal space. According to used to Americans, but not for the Indonesian people.
Robert Sommer in Tubbs and Moss, personal space Distances in Indonesian people may be narrower than
refers to an area with invisible boundaries surround- American people. However, this paper will not
ing a person's body into which intruders may not discuss more about these cultural differences. This
come. Some research on personal space focuses on paper will only use Hall categories (public, social,
the relationship between spatial arrangements and hu- personal, and intimate) to describe phenomenon
man feelings and interaction. Edward T Hall has about user of social media behavior in using their
given the name proxemics to the study of how human personal spaces.
beings communicate through their uses of space.
3.1 Personal Space on Facebook
Intimacy level in a relationship can be measured from
the proximity when two persons involved in commu- One of the important characteristics from network
nication process. According to anthropologist Edward society is the erosion of boundaries between public
T Hall, humans manage the space around them and and private space. In other words, the meaning of
there are four spaces: intimate space (15 to 45cm), public and personal space is reconstruction. Although
personal space (0.5 to 1.2m), social space (1.5–3.6m), new media has eliminated distances and space, but
and public space (3.6–7.6m). The uses of distance in people is still maintaining his/her personal distance
communication indicate degree of liking or prefer- from others. The author will describe human behavior
ence. Hall describes human relationship in terms of in keeping their spaces on Facebook:
four kinds of distance: intimate, personal, social, and
public. Each distance zone is further differentiated by 1. To protect his/her personal space, a person can do
a close phase and a far phase within which different optimizing the privacy settings on Facebook. Privacy
behaviors occur. settings on Facebook are divided into two settings,
first is related to file sharing and second is related to
Every distance has its own rules: what is appropriate connectivity on Facebook. Here are the details of file
and what is not. Here are the details of the four sharing settings:
distances according to Hall (Tubbs & Moss, 121-122):
 Tab.2 Privacy Setting on Facebook managed through the privacy setting. It is because in
intimate space people share only confidential or
Settings Sharing highly confidential message, which is marked in the
Everyone Everyone can access someone’s exchange of information is characterized by subtle or
profile very subtle whisper.
Friends of Profile can only be accessed by:
friends 1. Friends (religious and 2. The second privacy setting is how one connects
political view, birthday, with other people on the Facebook. Here are the
commenting posts, places, details of this setting:
and contact information)
2. Friends of friends (Status, Tab 3. Connectivity Setting on Facebook
photos, posts, bio, favorite
quotations, family and Setting Hal yang Siapa yang
relationships, photos and diinginkan bisa melihat
videos someone’s tagged in) Search for you This lets Everyone,
Friends only Profile can only be accessed by on Facebook friends and friends of
friends family find friends,
Recommended Profile can only be accessed by: you in Face- friends only,
1. Everyone (status, book search recommended
photos, posts, bio, results. Set , custom
favorite quotations, this to Every-
family, and one or you
relationships) could miss
2. Friends of friends friend re-
(Photos and videos quests.
someone’s tagged in, Send you friend This lets you Everyone,
religious and political requests receive friend friends of
views, birthday) requests. Set friends,
3. Friends only this to Every- friends only,
(commenting posts, one to avoid recommended
places, and contact missing out , custom
information) on chances to
Custom Profile can only be accessed by connect with
selected person people you
know.
By adjusting privacy settings, Facebook users actually Send you mes- This helps Everyone,
has manage what kind of information that he/she sages you make friends of
wants to share with others. According to Hall, sure you friends,
information that have been shared in public space are know people friends only,
allowed to been known by a group of people. By before adding recommended
adjusting the privacy settings in everyone setting, it them as , custom
means that the user allowed others to known every friends.
information about him/her. At that time, he/she is in See your friend This lets you Everyone,
his/her public space. list connect with friends of
people based friends,
In Hall’s theory, in social distance, then the on friends friends only,
information conveyed is general topic with full voice you have in recommended
or slightly hardened. By adjusting the privacy settings common. , custom
on friends of friends then user desire that information Your friend
is only known by the people who connect with him. list is always
That is, the user is in the social distance. available to
applications
In Hall’s theory, when user is in the personal space, and your con-
the information shared to the other is personal subject nections to
matters. By adjusting the privacy settings on friends friends may
only, then the user has limited access to information be visible
only to people he/she knows or allow to be friends. elsewhere.
That is, user and his friends are in personal space. See your educa- This helps Everyone,
tion and work you connect friends of
The author does not see the intimate space can be with friends,
 classmates friends only, tings on Facebook, someone can choose who else
and recommended from his/her friend lists that could write on his/her
colleagues, , custom wall. The options for this settings are: everyone,
and discover friends of friends, friends only, or choose a few of
new friends. With this setting, then the user can restrict
professional who can send messages to him. In other words, this
opportunities. setting helps the user to sort out any people who can
See your current This helps Everyone, communicate with in public space and social space.
city and home- you get in friends of
town touch with friends, Second, customize settings also can help user to man-
neighbors and friends only, age whose friends can see the wall. In other words,
old friends. recommended this setting help user to sort out who can see the con-
Note: you can , custom versations that happen in public space. Author as-
separately sume, when the account owner activate this setting
control how only for certain people, then that's when the account
you share owner started to restrict who can hear the personal
places you message. Thus, only those people who are within the
check in to on personal or intimate that could be here.
the main pri-
vacy page. Tab. 4 Personal Space on Facebook Wall
See your likes, This lets you Everyone,
activities and express your friends of
other connec- interests and friends, Settings Space
tions experiences, friends only, Allowing friends to post Public distance and
and connect recommended in wall Social distance
with people , custom
who like the Allowing friends see Personal distance and
same things other friends’ postings on intimate distance
you do. wall

By managing this connectivity setting, a person can
decide whether he/she wants to be "visible” or
"invisible" on Facebook. If someone wants to be
visible, then he/she could choose “everyone” in every
connectivity setting. If someone wants to be "less
visible" so he could choose “everyone”, “friends of
friends”, or “friends only” in one or some settings.
“anyone” of the seven ways to connect such a setting
Based on some observations on Facebook, there are
three settings that are usually arranged specifically to
be "invisible" on the Facebook: First is “the search for
you in the Facebook”, second is “send you friend
requests”, and last is “send you messages”. By
limiting access to these settings, it means user has
maintain his/her personal space. In other words, there
is a mechanism whereby a person keep a distance
where an intimate, personal, social, and public.
Comments are the tools where account owner can dia-
logue with his/her friends. Comments can be given for
status updates, friends' wall posts, photos, videos,
notes, and all kinds of files can be shared with the
owner of the account. By controlling who can write
the comments, it means that the can set any people
who can engage in conversation with him. Because
there is no menu on the Facebook approval or rejec-
tion comments, then automatically every comment
that is written (whether desired or not) must be signed
and read by anyone who allowed the owner of the ac-
count. The more selective friends who can provide
comments, author assumed that the more narrow
space between the account owner and his/her friends.
Beside on general settings, account owner can also
which information (status updates) is allowed to be
commenting.

In addition to the general privacy settings, author also
observed three menus that commonly used by
Facebook users: wall, comments, and message.
Wall is a page on one's the Facebook profile where all
information related to the account owner and the ac-
tivities listed there. User activity on the Facebook are
vary from status updates, shared file, comments which
are given to friends, events, to games. A friend of user
can write message and it will automatically visible to
all friends of the user. There are three behaviors in
wall that author observed. First, in customized set-
Message is a menu where one (friend) can send a
message to the account owner. Messages sent will go
to the owner inbox that can only be seen by him/her.
Messages are divided into: 1. Messages between the
account owner and a friend and 2. Messages between
the account owner with more than one friend. When a
conversation goes to the inbox, then the actual con-
versation was no longer in public space. If the account
owner or his/her friends allowed anyone to read their
message, then they don't need to go to the inbox. Us-
ing the message menu means that the content of spe-
cific messages only to certain people which could
have been loud voice (to some people in social space)
or even whisper and only to one person (in the inti-
mate space).
3.1 Personal Space on Twitter
Space in Twitter is different from the space on
Facebook. It is because Twitter’s menu is not as
complicated as the Facebook’s. Also Twitter’s privacy
settings are not as complicated as the Facebook’s.
Twitter is a microblogging site where the account
owner could post a tweet in 140 characters. Once
tweet is posting, than every follower will received it.
A tweet can be reply or re-tweeted (resend) by
follower and this tweet can be seen in account owner
timeline. A follower also can mention account owner
on his/her tweet and it will directly show in his/her
timeline. If the account owner did not retweeted the
tweet, then his/her follower cannot see that tweet.
Here are some author's observation about people
behavior in keeping their spaces on Twitter:
1. Public space exist when a person (A) follow
another person (B).
2. When B follow back the account (A), that's when
they are in social space.
3. Personal space exist when (A) write a tweet
mentioning another person account (B). Personal
space also exist when B replying or Re-Tweeting that
tweet (from A).
4. When A and B communicating through Direct
Message (DM), that's when they are in intimacy
space.
Beside those behavior, an account owner can also
manage his/her space through privacy setting on
twitter. Different from Facebook, Twitter only has one
privacy setting named “tweet privacy”, it as a
condition where account owner only let people whom
he/she approve to follow his/her tweets.
Tab. 5 Personal Space on Twitter
Space Behavior Messages
Public A follow B Public
information to
hear to others
Social B follow back A Public
information
Personal A write a tweet that Personal subject
mentioning B matters, full
with slight
B replying or re- overloaded
tweeting the tweet from
A Remaja Rosakarya
Intimate A dan B communicate Very
through direct message confidential or
(DM) top secret
messages.
4. Conclusion
Revolution in communication has changes the
coordinates of space and time (structural revolution)
in communication process. Anthony Giddens use
time-space-distantation term to show (1984, 1991)
that human and social time and space dimensions tend
to widen in the course of history. (Van Dijk, 157).
Modern society stretch further and further across time
and space.
New media can extend and reduce the scale of
society. As a part of new media, social media
(Facebook and twitter) can elevate connectivity
between people because there are more opportunity
that everyone in this world can connect through
Facebook and Twitter. In the other hand, Facebook
and twitter have reduce or widening someone
personal space.
A personal space does exist in new media. From
author observations, Facebook user can manage
his/her personal space and also self disclosure proses
by manage the file sharing setting. He/she can also
can manage his/her visibility through connectivity
setting. A twitter user can manage his/her space by
selecting his/her follower, people to be followed, or
tweet to be re-tweeted. Although those spaces exist,
not every condition shows the same intimacy level.
There are others factors—like communication
message and context—that also determine the
intimacy level from a relationship.
There's a strong erosion of public space as we know
it. Instead, we find a completely different type of
public space in social media. In this communication
revolution, time and space in some respect gain
importance, instead of losing relevance. The
technological capabilities of bridging space and time
enable people to be more selective in choosing
coordinates of space and time than ever before in
history.
5. References
[1] Cairncross, Frances (2002), The Communication
Revolution. In Bucy, Erik.P, Living in the Information
Age: A New Media Reader (p.4-7). Canada:
Wadsworth Group.
[2] Tubbs, Stewart. L & Moss, Sylvia (2008), Human
Communication: Prinsip-prinsip Dasar. Bandung:
[3] Tuten, Tracy.L (2008), Advertising 2.0: Social
Media Marketing in a Web 2.0 World. London:
Praeger Publishers.

[4] Dijk, Jan Van (2006), The Network Society.

London: Sage Publications.

[5] Mulyana, Deddy (2007), Ilmu Komunikasi: Suatu

Pengantar. Bandung: Remaja Rosdakarya

[6] Bakardjieva, Maria (2005), Internet Society: The

Internet in Everyday Life. London: Sage Publications.

[7] Littlejohn, Stephen (2009), Teori Komunikasi.

Jakarta: Salemba Humanika

[8] http://twitter.com/

[9] http://facebook.com/