Withholding your identity online can be seen as right or wrong. I Personally think it is right to withhold your personal identity, because of cases of fraud etc. The only time I use my full name is when i am buying things over the Internet but then i am always careful, just in case it is a fake site. However on my facebook account i do have my full name this is because i only have the people i know on my friends list and my profile is also set to private so no one can view it unless they are already my friend on the site.
However some people feel more confident by using different ways of addressing people, for example i talk differently to my friends than i do my family, this is the same with false identities as some people may feel more confident by being hidden behind this fake person, this also allows you to fit into different groups of people that you would not usually fit into, this is the new way of social interaction some may say? By adopting this mask it allows you to take part in online relationships as well as online self expression.
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Do you think that Turkle et al are talking about "full names" or do they have something very different in mind when they use the term "identity"?
ReplyDeleteBeing 'different' with friends or elderly relatives (for instance) is more about facets of our personality isn't it? The various 'personas' that we use which draw upon aspects of our identity are not the same as having different identities are they?
On your Facebook account I believe you can change your name to an abbreviation (like Beth S), and have your "Former Name" as your real last name so that people who know your last name can find you, but people that don't can't. Did that make sense? Probably not.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't say online identities are always "false" per se, just a different version of yourself which shares some of your characteristics but also some other characteristics which aren't so truthful... though as you say this new identity is one that they are more comfortable and confident with expressing :) x
I agree with what you say that false identities giving you a greater confidence. What i don't agree with is those people who purposely try and mislead lead people especially pedophiles. Worrying i feel that the Internet is just another way that sex offenders can lure children. But i don't want you do think that my only opinion without the Internet communities we probably wouldn't be able to interact with others across the world.
ReplyDeletedo you think changing yourself online can be a good thing? such as being more open about yourself...such as to do with sexaulity?
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