What does facebook, Instagram and Twitter all have in common? It is what the user decides to post and their interaction with other people on the relevant platforms that defines who they are online.
But is this online persona a true representation of who they are offline? Or have we entered an era where the web (with its anonymity) has become a haven for people to be their true self.
I for one am against having more than one online identity. I do see the the reasons why people may not think the same way but I feel that overall, the web should be a safe place where actions committed on the web should be accountable for.
There are two reasons that I identified that solidifies my stance, first being the anonymity that comes with multiple identities which gave birth to cyberbullying (Richard Donegan, 2012) (in the sense of cyberspace). More than 10% of parents around the world claimed that their child had been cyberbullied and in the united-states, the cases which linked cyberbullying to suicides have been at an astonishing 82%. (reuters.com, 2012). Sheryl Sandberg’s stance on authenticity of one’s online identity really struck a chord with me as when an individual has one, authentic online identity, I feel that it will help lessen such cases as individuals who participate in such acts are easily identifiable.
Source: The Cyberbullying Report 2013
The second reason for not supporting multiple identities is to minimize the distortion of how I want other people to perceive who I am, especially future employers, who in this digital age have utilized social media platforms to have a greater understanding of their potential employees.
However with that being said, having multiple identities, in the sense of separating one’s personal life from their professional one, would allow greater freedom on the web as well as a means to “escape” from the real world as mentioned by Andrew Lewman, Executive Director of the Tor Project. The web should be a place where one can openly voice their opinions. The constant abuse of this privilege has made me believe that with lesser identities, it is easier to crack down on unwarranted behavior.
The lines between our online and offline identities are blurrier by the day. What we do on the web will soon be a representation of our characteristics offline and as scary as this might seem, to me, it was an inevitable fact when social media platforms became mainstream. As the saying goes, “what goes on the internet, stays on the internet.”
(420 words)
References
Costa, C. and Torres, R. (2011). To be or not to be, the importance of Digital Identity in the networked society. Educação, Formação & Tecnologias – ISSN 1646-933X, [online] 0(0), pp.47-53. Available at:http://eft.educom.pt/index.php/eft/article/view/216/126 [Accessed 7 Nov. 2016].
Ditch the Label. (2016). The Cyberbullying Report 2013 – Ditch the Label. [online] Available at: http://www.ditchthelabel.org/research-papers/the-cyberbullying-survey-2013/ [Accessed 7 Nov. 2016].
Donegan, R. (2012). Bullying and Cyberbullying: History, Statistics, Law, Prevention and Analysis. Bullying and Cyberbullying by Richard Donegan.
Krotoski, A. (2016). 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 7 Nov. 2016].
Minutaglio, R. (2016). Daniel Fitzpatrick, 13, Commits Suicide After Being Bullied. [online] PEOPLE.com. Available at: http://people.com/human-interest/daniel-fitzpatrick-13-commits-suicide-after-being-bullied/ [Accessed 7 Nov. 2016].
Nobullying.com. (2016). Cyberbullying and Bullying Statistics 2014, Finally!. [online] Available at: https://nobullying.com/cyberbullying-bullying-statistics-2014-finally/ [Accessed 7 Nov. 2016].
Reuters. (2016). Cyberbullying a problem around the globe: poll. [online] Available at: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-cyberbullying-poll-idUSTRE80A1FX20120111 [Accessed 7 Nov. 2016].
YouTube. (2016). 7 Steps To Building Your Online Identity. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UlcOX1fZW4&feature=youtu.be [Accessed 7 Nov. 2016].
Living and working on the web 
Yo Hypebeast,
A very solid stance presented on having a single online identity. I wholeheartedly agree with your first point that anonymity is the modus operandi to cyberbullying. Addressing such toxic online activities is very important yet overlooked at some point. Having a singular identity certainly is a step forward to potentially cut down cyberbullying. A non-distorted identity no doubt creates more consistency for employers to screen their potential employees yet, I would stand on having multiple identities personally as I feel our personal/social lives and professional ones requires a distinctive separation. So, regarding your stand to not support multiple identities, does that mean an individual have to be extra cautious of their activities now? Will that creating rigidity and in turn making it pretentious? What are your thoughts? All in all, a great post from you!
Cheers,
Fellow Hypebeast
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Hi Brenden,
You have an informative post that allow me to gain an understanding on against having multiple online identities. I, personally supports having multiple online identities.
To be fair, yes, I agree with the argument of Cyberbullying. However, don’t you think that there are measures that can be taken into consideration to minimise such acts? I found an interesting article that I would like to share: http://www.connectsafely.org/tips-to-help-stop-cyberbullying/ .
Although having a fixed identity helps in future employment, do you think you can display your true characteristics and share what you truly are (Good and bad) on social media?
Therefore, I believe that ultimately, it will boil down to how one manage their own identity – whether they want to be true or not. If one has an intention to hide, do you think that by having one identity still allow them to be their true self?
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Hi Brenden! I like how you’re very clear in reasoning your stance and I do understand your POV.
With everyone having just one online identity sure helps to prevent cyberbullying. But I think having one single identity doesn’t guarantee authenticity and having multiple identities doesn’t mean you’re two or three different persons. Ultimately, we have the control to choose what we post online, don’t we? And I quote Michael Zimmer’s words: “It is not that you pretend to be someone that you are not; rather, you turn the volume up on some aspects of your identity, and tone down others, all based on the particular context you find yourself.”
Indeed, the web should be a place where people are free to use it the way they want, but unfortunately there are people who abuse the privilege, forcing restrictions to a single identity at the expense of others who own multiple identities for purposeful reasons.
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