In the 1980s, the Kansai dialects experienced a surge in popularity, transitioning from historically prestigious dialects to valuable linguistic resources. This transformation was driven by comedic performances and frequent appearances in cultural discourse. However, as these dialects extended beyond their native region, questions of authenticity and language ownership emerged. Recently, the term 'Ese-Kansai Dialect' (EKD) has surfaced to describe the usage of Kansai dialect by non-natives perceived as having 'unnatural traits.' Previous scholarship categorized EKD as a sociolinguistic variation of the 'real' Dialect, a classification this study challenges. 

This study delves into the EKD concept and the narratives surrounding it through a meticulous analysis of 995 selected Tweets containing EKD content. The primary finding reveals that EKD serves as a protective shield employed by non-native speakers to preemptively deflect potential criticism on social media. Contrary to being a distinct sociolinguistic variety, EKD is used as a survival strategy in the digital realm. The analysis underscores a pervasive sense of insecurity among non-native users, manifesting in frequent apologies or requests for permission when attempting to use the dialect. Rather than striving for higher competence in the dialect, many new speakers avoid using it with native speakers and instead opt for its usage within a non-native speaker community. Consequently, the Kansai expressions used by new speakers evolve into distinct linguistic forms, diverging from the actual Kansai dialect and gaining acceptance in various regions. 

In conclusion, EKD emerges as an ideologically constructed concept that seeks to reclaim dialect ownership for native speakers while stigmatizing non-native speakers as illegitimate users. This study contributes to our understanding of language contact in the age of social media, where a minority language encounters the dominant standard language. As dialects in Japan transcend regional boundaries, language ideologies exert significant influence over their future, both online and offline.