Topic 2 – Discuss the arguments for and against having more than one online identity.
Our online identities are portrayed as we want them to be portrayed? Or so we think!
Our online identities begin as soon as we use the internet, almost every movement or action online from simple web browsing to sending emails and using social media platforms is tracked or traced using cookies. Every action carried out on the internet contributes to an individual’s digital footprint. Link-ability then allows for information from multiple interactions to be gathered and used to build a profile about our internet usage, likes and dislikes, sites we’ve visited, personal information etc. These actions erode away at our personal privacy. By innocently using online sites and social media platforms, we are somewhat agreeing to giving up our personal information and allowing someone else to form their own profile about us and we have no idea how much information they actually have. Therefore our digital identity is not completely under our control. (Rhizome, 2010)
In this day and age it is hard to get ahead in the world without an online profile, whether it be on Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, blogging sites etc. these are the identities we create for ourselves and they are somewhat important when it comes to employability and businesses(Costa and Torres, 2011). Online profiles increase your chances of finding jobs, increasing business revenues and finding new customers (Pun,2009). Strangers, employers, friends and family can get an insight into your personal and/or professional life, depending on how well you network and protect your identity online.
Online identities can however be delineated through the use of nicknames and pseudonyms (Krotoski, 2012) where only those close to the individual know their real names or identities. I wouldn’t say that this is an example of having more than one online identity but instead just masking your own.
Intentionally having more than one online identity is something that at first instinct, I would perceive to be malicious or to cover up a past identity. I can only think of it in a negative way. I think it provides an avatar for people to hide behind, where they know they may not get caught and cannot be easily identified.
I understand that some people would want to be anonymous online, as it provides a ‘shield’ and provides a method of keeping personal information hidden online. Being anonymous gives people control, it allows people to be creative and figure out their identity without judgement (SOURCE) This has both positive and negative effects online. It allows for the freedom of speech, but also allows for cyber bullying and malicious intentions.
52% of young adults have more than one profile on social media platforms (Lenhart et al, 2010). I have profiles on both Facebook and twitter, and previously had profiles on myspace, bebo, piczo etc. I used all of these in different ways. Can each profile be seen as a different online identity? I use twitter to rave and rant about my day or week, whereas I use Facebook to upload photos from nights out, and to communicate with the societies and committees that I’m on, very rarely do I post a status. I use the two platforms very differently, can this be construed as having two different online personalities? Or can all the profiles I have and have had be part of one online identity?
Whether we like it or not, we already have more than one online profile. Social media is most likely to be the first, your online interactions and the data gathered about you will have formed the second.
Having more than one identity in my opinion would only be for malicious purposes, to hide the individuals past or to be anonymous, what other purpose would a second online identity serve?
References
Costa, C. and Torres, R., 2011, To be or not to be, the importance of Digitial Identity in the networked society, accessed online http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2012/apr/19/online-identity-authenticity-anonymity on 19/02/14
Krotoski, A., 2012, Online Identity: is authenticity or anonymity more important?, The Guardian, accessed online http://eft.educom.pt/index.php/eft/article/view/216/126 on 19/02/14
Lenhart, A., Purcell, K., Smith, A. and Zickhur, K., 2010, Social Media and Younge Adults, accessed online http://www.pewinternet.org/2010/02/03/social-media-and-young-adults/ , on 20/02/14
Rhizome, (2010), Digitial identity, accessed http://digitaldisruptions.org/rhizome/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/rhiz08_DigitalIdentityMatters.pdf
Pun, H., 2009, The importance and advantages of online identity, accessed online http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Importance-and-Advantages-of-Online-Identity&id=2798775 on 20/02/14
