Photo by Vadim Bogulov on Unsplash

What is a digital identity?

As stated by Stoller in this week’s video, digital identity is your presence online, that is everyone you post or share how you are, how you engage with others, how you comment on specific events and so on. Simply speaking, digital identity is how you use digital tools for you and your social friends. When it comes to my digital identity, it is what my footprint on the web. Others can search my things that I do on the web, such as my portfolio, work, twitter and blog.

How do personal versus professional approaches to digital identity affect social media use?

Personal approaches to digital identity greatly relate to family photos, daily surprises, personal interests and insightful comments on news. As for professional approaches to digital identity, we mostly try to create a positive image of good attitude towards life and professional working skills. In my opinion, these two approaches can be closely related. Nowadays, HRs would like to read your personal social media to learn your hobbies and values. And then they can further compare it with the company culture.

How do digital identities converge in networked publics – what are the impacts and/or benefits?

Digital identities converge in networked publics. There are various of positive benefits. First of all, digital identity enables digital leisure, providing a communicatively rational way of interaction. Spracklen (2015) mentioned that he would follow certain blogs analyzing polling data ahead of the next General Election in the UK. Secondly, web users can conveniently get engaged with online community or groups with similar hobbies or interests. Thirdly, users can improve their relationship with friends or colleges through online communication.

On the other hand, there are negative impacts. Digital identity might cause financial fraud or identity theft. What’s more, users could not freely express their ideas since digital identity connects to their work. Besides, it is uneasy to balance the ratio of digital identity between personal life and professional work.

References

Spracklen, K. (2015). Identity-Making and Social Media. In: Digital Leisure, the Internet and Popular Culture. Leisure Studies in a Global Era. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137405876_6