Digital Intimacy in Indonesian Culture: An Analysis of Communication Motives and Confidentiality Patterns of Omi Dating App Users

Abstract

Dating apps are becoming increasingly popular on social media. The communication motives of online dating app users are diverse and dynamic, depending on personal needs, social conditions, and the flexible and anonymous nature of digital communication. While dating apps have long been considered ineffective as a medium for connecting married couples, reality has proven that these apps are the most common way for couples to meet while dating. As many as 12% of online dating users in the United States end up married or in a serious relationship. This study examined the Omi app as a representative of a serious app for finding a life partner. The research method employed a mixed-methods approach, combining interview data collection and document content analysis. The informants interviewed were 10 OMI dating app users, and content analysis of OMI users' personal stories was conducted over three months (January-March 2025). Qualitative data were analyzed using interactive analysis. The nine communication motives studied included seeking a sexual partner, seeking love, meeting new people, curiosity, ease of communication, emotional support, escape, anonymity, and social compensation integrated into communication practices. Relationships within the OMI app can develop into friendships, premarital relationships, or committed marriages. The motivation for seeking sexual partners stems from users initially seeking a physical relationship without commitment. Informants leverage OMI's speed of interaction and features, which allow for direct communication for casual needs. The OMI app also provides a more controlled and less stressful communication space. Users find comfort through supportive and empathetic conversations. Limited social access or problematic relationships in the real world have been resolved through the use of this app. The OMI app provides an alternative space to replace the void in social relationships with new connections that feel safer, more open, and less judgmental.