Do you think that assuming an online persona (via screen name/handle/avatar etc) encourages people to play with the identity they present online and take risks in the ways the express themselves?
Often the internet comes under scrutiny for allowing people to change persona and live as different people in a virtual world. I think that for the most part, this is a moral panic created by the media, focussing on the advantages of anonymity for paedophiles in internet chat rooms and grooming, which is a small drop of water in the sea that is the internet (not that it should be taken so lightly)
In the lecture we heard of some theorists who encourage playing around with different sides of your personality and embrace the internet’s anonymity. The idea that we have different sides to our personality is something that has often been discussed by communications theorists, it could relate to Erving Goffman’s theory that “All the world’s a stage and all the people are players” in which everybody is in control of their impression management and the way that we act is in reaction to the context. The concept of the self and identity should be considered when we examine our communication on the web because it is so unique in its characteristics, it is widespread but anonymous, and censorship is minimal. It allows for us to portray certain parts of our personality without being judged. It seems that there are no constrictions.
This, however, may not strictly be true. Brad McGehee outlines the danger of letting your wild side out on the internet. “More and more employers are using Internet search to find out all about you before they hire you. So if a prospective employer enters your name into a search engine, what will they find?” (McGehee 2008). In his article, he outlines the dangers of taking risks with your personality, as it is so easy to trace, not only by would-be employers, but anyone in your “real world” life too. Although his argument is based on the premise that your online persona would have a link to your real name, it does open up the idea that the virtual world and the “real” world are not completely separate.
I would agree that the internet allows people to “play” with their identities, but surely the desire to be more confident, more adventurous, louder, quieter, would have to come from a craving in your own personality? They cannot be unconnected.
The quote from McGehee was taken from the following article - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/blogs/aloha_dba/archive/2008/12/17/is-your-internet-activity-hurting-your-dba-career.aspx
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could you also argue that it is as much up to the person themselves whether or not to choose to give their full identity? I didnt see it so much as a moral panic, but i think people tend to be a little private before anything else?
ReplyDeleteGood points though!
Hi Lucy
ReplyDeleteI've read all of your blogs now and am very pleased with the level of engagement in them. You are making clear references back to the lectures, to your own reading and bringing in your own experience too - a nice combination. You are also being sensibly circumspect. Also nice to see some responses from Tom too. If your other study buddies are out there - please let Lucy know you care!!
As to the identity issue, have you ever - aside from eg the choices we make in Facebook, MSN etc - created an online persona, complete with avatar, handle, "signature"? It's a very strange experience! Talking from my own experience, it does seem to require that you draw very much on your own image of yourself, some quite hearty reflection goes on before you choose that avatar that seems to express your "true" identity (Or perhaps it's just me!)
Finally - I don't seem to be getting alerts telling me that you are commenting on others' blogs. Have you got me on your email alert list? If not, can you put me on it? If I'm on it, but you aren't commenting - make sure you do! Keep up the good work Lucy!