FKP hosted by Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta on Tuesday, 3 Februari 2026 with Mohamed Baillor Jalloh (Department of Economics, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta) and Shofwan Al Banna Choiruzzad (Department of International Relations, Universitas Indonesia)

Youth-led protests are no longer confined to streets and campuses, they now unfold in algorithm-driven digital arenas where emotions circulate instantly and shape political narratives in real time. In an era where digital platforms increasingly mediate political discourse, understanding not only what protesters demand but how they feel becomes crucial. Mohamed Bailor Jalloh (Department of Economics, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta) presented a study exploring the emotional landscape of Gen Z–led protests across four developing democracies, highlighting how YouTube comments function as a digital barometer of collective sentiment.

` The study analysed 1,500 YouTube comments from major international news outlets covering protests in Bangladesh, Nepal, Kenya, and Indonesia. Using qualitative textual sentiment analysis with Voyant Tools and manual validation, the study categorised expressions into positive and negative sentiment. The findings revealed that Bangladesh (56.76%) and Nepal (52.27%) were dominated by positive sentiments, such as pride, hope, and solidarity, which were largely associated with successful political outcomes, such as leadership resignations. In contrast, Kenya and Indonesia showed predominantly negative sentiments, reflecting frustration over corruption, repression, and state violence.

Beyond identifying emotional patterns, Bailor emphasised how digital platforms function as an arena for mobilisation. The recurring prominence of the word “corruption” across all four cases indicated moral outrage as a central emotional driver. At the same time, expressions of hope and justice demonstrated that digital protest discourse is not purely antagonistic but also aspirational. The study contributes to the literature by focusing on YouTube, a relatively underexplored platform in protest research.

As discussant, Shofwan Al Banna Choiruzzad (Department of International Relations, Universitas Indonesia) appreciated the research’s originality but encouraged a deeper comparative analysis. He noted that while the paper presented country-by-country findings, it could further elaborate on systematic cross-country comparisons and more explicitly connect online sentiments to offline political contexts. He also raised concerns about media framing, suggesting that video titles (e.g., references to “killing” or “toppling”) may significantly shape comment tone, thereby influencing sentiment outcomes. Additionally, he proposed reflecting on how sentiment analysis might be used strategically by political actors to manage or engineer public emotions.

During the Q&A session, a participant asked why similar protest emotions could lead to different political outcomes across developing democracies and how digital environments mediate those differences. Bailor responded that while digital platforms enhance mobilisation and coordination, political outcomes ultimately depend on each country’s institutional structures and state responses. The exchange underscored that while digital activism reshapes the terrain of collective expression, enduring institutional configurations ultimately determine whether emotional mobilisation translates into substantive political transformation.

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