In this week’s class, we had a wonderful discussion presented by Prof Couros on digital Identity.  This concept was also well discussed in the presentation by Britanny and Josh.  The issue of digital identity is really a big problem especially among the youths and teens. Khrapov et al. (2024) described digital identity as a projection of real identity, formed through interactions in digital environments, which can lead to a merging of online and offline personas. Kraynov (2024) claims that digital identity allows individuals to navigate opportunities in both personal and professional contexts, such as job searches and social connections.

creative commons

So, if I am to interpret this… I would say my digital identity is like my online personality, and it has to do with how I show myself to the world online, through my social media profiles, online interactions, and the different characters I create for myself in online spaces.  This reminds me of the saying ‘you are what you wear’, which I think can be applied to our online lives as well. People often try to present themselves in a positive light online, even if that doesn’t reflect their true selves. I’ve noticed this on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, where people tend to share carefully curated content. Sadly, some people (especially teenagers) develop their physical identity based on these online curated contents. They start to either aspire, behave or live like the artists, musicians and role models whose lifestyle has been presented in a certain way online without understanding the true nature of these people in their physical life.  Unfortunately, a lot of people seem to be fake in their online world.  The above statement buttressed one of Josh’s points on the significance of defining one’s digital identity, noting that many individuals become confused about their genuine selves by prioritizing societal norms and expectations over personal authenticity. While I mainly use these social media websites to share events from my church and workplace, I’m aware that my posts can still influence others.

Lioune’s (2023) article on the Illusion of Self in the Digital Age: Unraveling Our Multiple Identities, highlighted how our online behaviors can impact how we perceive ourselves. She noted that our fragmented online activities, such as projecting professionalism on LinkedIn, showcasing our adventurous side on Instagram, and engaging in witty commentary on Twitter, contribute to our overall digital identity. From a professional stance, I feel the digital world is a larger space that helps people network and exposes them to potential career opportunities nationally and internationally (Lupton et al., 2019). I think this view aligns with my regular visit and activity on LinkedIn and ResearchGate. I am always conscious of what I post online because of the nature of what I do. However, I feel this digital identity thing is also taking too much of individual’s personal information which we have to be cautious about. That is why I use more of the professional platforms than the regular social media sites.

References

Andrey, L., Kraynov. (2024). 1. Digital identity as a condition of human existence in a digital society. Izvestiâ Saratovskogo universiteta. Novaâ seriâ,  https://doi.org/10.18500/1819-7671-2024-24-2-137-141

Lupton, M., Oddone, K., & Dreamson, N. (2019). Students professional digital identities. In Higher Education and the Future of Graduate Employability (pp. 30-49). Edward Elgar Publishing.  https://doi.org/10.4337/9781788972611.00010

Sergey, A., Khrapov., Svetlana, Kryuchkova., I.M., Melikov. (2024).  Digital Identity and the Humanistic Model of Digital Educational Environment. Voprosy Filosofii, 7, 29 -39 https://doi.org/10.21146/0042-8744-2024-7-29-39