Topic 2: Reflection
As I mentioned in my ‘Seeing Double’ blog post, the concept surrounding multiple online identities is not overly complex, however the discourse in the comment sections on both here and my peers’ blogs have led me to think outside of my initial opinion-shaped box. Namat left me with some great questions and perspectives that I didn’t really consider beyond the surface of my discussion. Moreover, May really made me think about more reasons behind online anonymity than I had previously apparised – particularly for those who adopt an online identity in order to be able to demonstrate free speech in the countries of origin that may not allow so in real life.
Whilst this was a far less ambiguous topic than the first, I think that Jack, Bartosz and Jens included some insightful video links to solidify their discussions further. Also, Zia and Andy took on a very theoretical approach whilst backing up their thoughts with some relevant and descriptive infographics.
On reflection to the whole topic, after considering my thoughts & opinions alongside the rest of the #UOSM2008 cohort, I have come to the conclusion that online profile anonymity and privacy concerns, specifically, are notions that spark the most debate. Perhaps this is due to the overpowering negatives that outweigh the positives – for instance, I first assumed that most people ‘abuse’ anonymous identities to bully others, when in fact statistics (provided by May) show that the majority of incognito users engage in more serious matters, such as political debates on news sites.
Having multiple online identities is not black and white, however, and they are very hard to maintain with care. Due to the fact that some people use certain platforms more than others, maybe we should start considering using new terms: intermittent, casual or partial online users, for example.
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Comment Links:
https://jensbuhler.wordpress.com/2015/02/22/topic-2-online-identity-and-the-choice-we-must-make/
