An online identity consists of a single or several partial identities/personas that represent different characteristics. Indeed, online activities are no longer separable from our real lives, but an integral part of it. There is no doubt that the emergence of the web has had a massive impact on the way people connect, interact and share information with one another (Costa & Torres, 2011). As the internet gained prominence in our lives, having a multitude of “online identity” is common. This sparked a debate on the pros and cons of having Single and Multiple Online Identities.
Self-Produced using Piktochart ; Source from Future Learn & Campaignlive
Self-Produced using Piktochart ;
Source from JISC, University of Oxford, OCLC, University of North Carolina
If you think that your Social Media profiles will not be looked at when you are applying for a job, think again. Research finds that:
Self-Produced using RawShorts
An example of an expat being fired from his job for contentious Facebook post:
Source: DailyMail
Source: London Evening Standard
Source: Independent
My previous post discussed about the authenticity of fake online information. Have you heard about Finstagram? – “Fake Instagram”, whereby users reveal themselves in their most unedited form. Amidst the faux photos, certain groups of users are bucking the trend, albeit in private. “Finstagram” users are creating these secondary profiles to share unedited images intended for specific friends as the pressure on users to create seemingly “perfect” profiles. Question is, how “REAL” are people on the internet?
Whatever we do online is a projection of our identity. I have multiple online identities to establish a clear distinction between my professional and personal lives in order for me to reach different audiences for security and privacy needs.
Self-Produced using Piktochart
Everyone has their preferred way of managing their digital identity and there is no ‘right’ way to do so. The number of online identities depends on our motivations and goals for using the web. Whichever side of the debate we stand, being aware of the benefits and drawbacks of multiple identities is important in our navigation of the digital world (Costa & Torres, 2011).
Some tips to build your online identity:
Source: YouTube
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References
Bennett, S. (2013). 92% Of Companies Use Social Media For Recruitment [INFOGRAPHIC]. [online] Adweek.com. Available at: http://www.adweek.com/digital/social-media-recruiting/ [Accessed 20 Nov. 2017].
Blog.staff.com. (2015). Social Media for Recruitment – Infographic | Staff.com Blog. [online] Available at: http://blog.staff.com/social-media-for-recruitment-infographic/ [Accessed 20 Nov. 2017].
Campaignlive.co.uk. (2014). In a world where consumers have multiple identities, brands must find new ways to keep up. [online] Available at: https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/world-consumers-multiple-identities-brands-find-new-ways-keep/1308619#7wKr0DKhAHTro2dS.99 [Accessed 20 Nov. 2017].
Chamorro-Premuzic, T. (2015). How different are your online and offline personalities?. [online] The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/media-network/2015/sep/24/online-offline-personality-digital-identity [Accessed 20 Nov. 2017].
Costa, C., & Torres, R. (2011). To be or not to be, the importance of Digital Identity in the networked society. Educação, Formação e Tecnologias, 47-53.
FutureLearn. (2017). What is your network identity? – Learning in the Network Age – University of Southampton. [online] Available at: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/learning-network-age/3/steps/263025 [Accessed 20 Nov. 2017].
FutureLearn. (2017). Data Literacy – Learning in the Network Age – University of Southampton. [online] Available at: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/learning-network-age/3/steps/263023 [Accessed 20 Nov. 2017].
FutureLearn. (2017). Media Literacy – Learning in the Network Age – University of Southampton. [online] Available at: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/learning-network-age/3/steps/263021 [Accessed 20 Nov. 2017]
Harter, S. (1999). The construction of the self: A developmental perspective book description. Guilford Publications.
Krotoski, A. (2017). Online identity: is authenticity or anonymity more important?. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2012/apr/19/online-identity-authenticity-anonymity [Accessed 20 Nov. 2017].
Popularity, K. (2017). Keep It Clean: Social Media Screenings Gain in Popularity. [online] Business News Daily. Available at: https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2377-social-media-hiring.html [Accessed 20 Nov. 2017].
Press Room | Career Builder. (2017). Number of Employers Using Social Media to Screen Candidates at All-Time High, Finds Latest CareerBuilder Study. [online] Available at: http://press.careerbuilder.com/2017-06-15-Number-of-Employers-Using-Social-Media-to-Screen-Candidates-at-All-Time-High-Finds-Latest-CareerBuilder-Study [Accessed 20 Nov. 2017].
Shah, S. (2017). Do you Finstagram? The new way teens are using Instagram in private. [online] Digital Trends. Available at: https://www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/finstagram-fake-instagram/ [Accessed 20 Nov. 2017].
Young, Kirsty (2013). “Managing online identity and diverse social networks on Facebook.” Webology, 10(2), Article 109. Available at: http://www.webology.org/2013/v10n2/a109.pdf
Tanya 
Hey Tanya!
Great job on the blog post! I find your post very informative and easy to understand. You manage to keep it succinct while focusing on the main points. By using ‘local’ examples, it is easy to relate to and it shows how easily social media may cost us our jobs.
Here is how social media can cost you your job:
http://careerminer.infomine.com/social-media-can-cost-job/
Secondly, it’s very unique that you relate this topic to topic 1, and I agree with you that “Having a single or multiple online identity depends on whether you’re a digital resident or visitor”. Your self-made video about online identities is very relatable as well.
Moreover, I believe that there is a fine line between being authentic and being professional. With that being said, how do you think we can manage our digital professional profile so as to not overstep the boundaries? Would love to hear your views on that!
Cheers,
Christine Halim
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Hi Christine! Thanks for taking the time to read my blog! I am glad that you found my post informative! 🙂
It is scary that we are leaving digital footprints on the Internet, which helps potential employers to look into our background, advertisers to track our movements across websites and even stalkers to stalk our location!
To answer your question, I think that we can manage our digital profile by showing “appropriate” content in our professional profile. My employers would not like to see my half-drunk pictures after a night of clubbing. Also, I believe that it is important to use appropriate language (without spelling or grammatical errors) on my digital profile as well.
A survey about the leading types of posts and behaviour that left employers with a bad impression includes:
1) Candidate posted provocative or inappropriate photographs, videos or information
2) Candidate posted information about them drinking or using drugs.
3) Candidate had poor communication skills
You may like to check out it out here https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2377-social-media-hiring.html
By doing the above actions, it does not necessarily mean that I am fake/unauthentic. I believe this applies to our offline behaviours as well; we portray ourselves differently to different audiences and situations we are in. I will be that whiny little girl to my mother, on the other hand, I will behave professionally during work. With these two personas, I am still me. However, we do believe that we all have our freedom of what we want to post online but of course; there are consequences for our actions as well.
Thanks for the link, it has provided me greater insights on the subject matter! 🙂
Cheers!
Tanya
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Hey Tanya!
Love the infographics you have created, especially with how different users of the web would adopt a different approach to online identities.
“The number of online identities depends on our motivations and goals for using the web.”
This statement really resonated with me, as my passion for reading books led to me creating a WordPress blog to review them. Similarly, wanting to accomplish module objectives has also led me to create another WordPress blog.
Having multiple online identities helps to establish a clear distinction between your professional and private lives. Would your networks overlap with each other? For example, the socialite side of you is to keep in contact with personal relationships through Facebook. Would your professional network, your colleagues, be part of your personal network?
Or would there always be a clear distinction between networks across all the platforms?
Let me know what you think!
Cheers,
Victoria
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Hi Victoria, thanks for dropping by!
Yes, my networks do overlap with each other to an extent. But it also depends on which platforms I use.
For example Facebook. Certain of my colleagues whom I am close with are on my Facebook and some are not. In the event that my boss wishes to add me on my network, I may filter out some inappropriate content such as photographs e.g. alcohol and clubs on my Facebook by using the limiting my profile function. As it would not be nice to show them such photographs.
However, for Twitter and Instagram, there will be a clear distinction as they are mainly for my friends and family. What about you?
Cheers!
Tanya
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