Topic 2: SUMMARY – Multiple Online Identities
The discussion surrounding the advantages and disadvantages of multiple online identities has opened my eyes to the importance of understanding which system to consider. Should we adopt multiple identities and carefully distinguish work from play, in the same way we do in our ‘offline’ identities, as I learned from Bartosz? Or should we stay true to ourselves, as Mark Zuckerberg suggested by retaining our integrity and sticking to a universal platform with a more singular identity, online?
During my research into this topic, I was reminded by Bartosz’s blog post that large firms like Facebook and Google ultimately benefit from our profiles being full and detailed. This makes us easy targets for advertising, especially if we state our interests. It is easy to see why such companies prefer less superficial online identities and encourage us to share more and more information about ourselves online.
This topic has been of particular interest to me, as I have recently scrambled to secure my Facebook page and gentrify my LinkedIn profile for the employers of tomorrow. I have also learned that it is important to consider a lower profile on shopping websites, forums and other public sites. I have noticed that anonymous users have the benefit of roaming the web unidentified, in the same way we don’t walk down a street holding a sign with our name and address on it. Although a minority of hackers, bullies and trolls abuse this benefit, as Irinie stated, our ability to go our daily business without advertising ourselves and our whereabouts, is something we shouldn’t take for granted.
On a light-hearted note, one of my favourite examples of the beauties of anonymising the internet, is from BuzzFeed which features a collection of ridiculous, but regrettably true YahooAnswers questions. Thank goodness their full identities aren’t displayed!
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