Thursday, February 22, 2007

QotW5: What’s the deal about Online Identity?

The Internet is mediating a new form of communication people would never have imagined a mere five decades ago – virtual communication. Interaction amongst people need not be face-to-face. Our physical selves are associated with an identity that people know us for. We cannot hide from it, nor can we change it. However, online identity can be created from scratch. Some people choose to change their identity totally (i.e. those indecent people with too much free time on their hands lurking chat rooms to prey on unsuspecting and innocent girls), but most people’s online identity would normally be close to their own offline identity.

Now, just what is an online identity, and how different is it from our normal offline one? In an offline context, interaction is face to face, and a continual process where we process verbal, and more importantly, non-verbal cues. However, creating an online identity is different. Online, we are beings connected and connecting via our keyboards. Without non-verbal cues to decode, we have to be “attuned to the nuances of email addresses and signature style.” (Donath, 1996).

I participate very frequently in virtual message boards, and often scour the net for forums to search for information. In a very established forum (like Soompi Forums) that I once participated in, there were many people who were establishing an online identity, or already had a very established online identity. It is not that easy to acquire a reputable online identity – it just requires a lot of time, effort and most importantly, trust from other members. Members of such a community interact with each other via message boards, or the chat function. By the time I had joined online communities, there were already a few distinguished elders whose reputation preceded them. Most of these elders had up to thousands of posts to their identity, and most had already gained ‘administrator’ status in the community. They were considered gurus in their area of expertise, and had devoted a lot of their own time contributing information, or ‘gifts’ to the community. Members in the community valued their input, and these reputable figures were held in high regard.

Now, anyone can assume or steal an online identity. “The very term "identity theft" is an oxymoron. Someone's identity is the one thing about a person that cannot be stolen.” (Schneier, 2005). However, it is entirely possible on the Internet. The issue here is that we cannot be seen – what connects us is what we type on the screen, or what we choose to type. Anyone equipped with hacking skills can easily hack into an account and steal that account, and assume your identity (What an irony! Your identity is supposed to be the one thing people can’t take away from you) in an online virtual community. With the chat function present in many forums nowadays, that makes it even easier – someone can just log into the chat room using your username (unless you have prevented anyone else from using that username except you) and everyone will just assume it is you. It is dangerous, but inevitable. Now, with things moving to the web, there is nothing that cannot be stolen anymore.



References


Donath, J.S. (1996). “Identity and Deception in the Virtual Community”. Retrieved February 21, 2007 from http://smg.media.mit.edu/people/Judith/Identity/IdentityDeception.html

Hassan, M. & Zhang, Y.C. (2004). “Manifesto for the Reputation Society”. Retrieved February 21, 2007 from http://www.firstmonday.dk/issues/issue9_7/masum/

Schneier, B. (2005). “Mitigating Identity Theft”. Retrieved February 21, 2007 from http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2005/04/mitigating_iden.html

Wood, A.F. & Smith, M.J. (2001). Online Communication: Linking Technology, Identity & Culture. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

1 comment:

Kevin said...

Good overview of forums such as Soompi Forums. Managing an online identity does take time as you mentioned. Full grades awarded. :)