Social Institution and Capital on Virtual Community (Case of Virtual Community of Kaskus)

Abstract

Virtual community is a new form of community that generated by internet.Virtual community has great potention to build social capital that disappearing from real life.Virtual community is important not only socially but also economically and politically. Virtual community has a fundamental difference with the physical community because its members do not have geographic proximity, it becomes strongnesses and weaknesses. This research is using descriptive qualitative metode which aims to provide a picture of a virtual community based on social institutions and capital in it. The existence of institutions and social capital provide initial description of the potential of virtual community. The study found social institutions and capital in virtual community of Kaskus. However, social institutions and capital have different forms and has its own advantages and limitations when compared with the physical community.