Social media, throughout today’s technological society, has developed into an integral element of our social order, and thanks to online platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, this type of new media allows for individuals to generate an “online identity” by which they construct themselves, and allow for themselves to be constructed by others. In relation to this, Subrahmanyam and Kaveri (2011), have defined online identity construction as; “online self-presentation, which includes the different ways by which users present themselves to other online users”. I can relate to this with notions of my own personal experiences with the construction of an online identity. I, like a vast majority of the Generation Y population, am the holder of a Facebook account, and find myself regularly updating my profile in terms of what profile picture I prefer at certain times, who I talk to, and who’s ‘walls’ I post on regularly, in order to ‘present’ a version of myself that I desire to those associated with my online identity.
Chalkley, (2013) discusses the significant issues relating to how we as a society analyze and evaluate the online identities of those around us. In his writing, he explores the digital behaviours of various students that he has encountered, and states that; “By examining the characteristics of individual students in this study, a pattern emerged. There seemed to be some clearly identifiable typical (and atypical) behaviours, mutually held beliefs, shared ethical positions, common idioms, and mutual understandings about how young people use media to represent themselves.” Relating this statement back to my own personal experiences, I can understand the reasons as to why these were the findings from Chalkley’s study. I myself find it exceedingly difficult to have an online persona that differs from the personas of others who are connected to my online identity. A vast majority of the people that I find myself associated with online share mutual beliefs and understandings, and this is evident in them, (and myself) posting in relation to similar issues and topics without expressing too much opinion, as well as ‘liking’ pages that have often already been ‘liked’ by friends in order to avoid controversy and harsh judgment. I feel that this is due to individuals not willing to be creative in the way that they express themselves and reveal their true personalities via social media, as they are often nervous as to what opinions other social media users will form about them.
Subrahmanyam and Kaveri (2011), have also stated that; “Online identity construction includes online self-presentation, which includes the different ways by which users present themselves to other online users”. I can relate to this in terms of how often I change my profile picture, and how I decide which picture reflects my online identity. Currently, my profile picture is a photograph taken of my boyfriend and myself before heading to a formal event. By uploading this photograph and choosing to use it to represent my online self, I feel that I have made a safe choice in terms of not wanting to take risks with the way that I present myself on Facebook, as I prefer to be cautious in the way that I depict my digital identity to my online friends and audience.
Image Source: Facebook (personal account) https://www.facebook.com/lauren.k.cummins?ref=tn_tnmn
References:
Chalkley, T (2013); Teen identity in the digital
age: who exactly is me now days?‘, conference paper presented at
Transformational Communication and the New Asia, Asian Media Information and Communication Centre, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (accessed Thursday 8th
August 2013)
Subrahmanyam, Kaveri
(2011); “Digital youth: the role of media in development” Chapter 4:
Constructing identity online,: Identity exploration and self presentation, New
York, London, Springer (accessed Thursday 8th
August 2013)
