Most of us who live in a digital world have at least one online identity. Internet has became part of our life and we use the internet for various purposes such as for personal stuff or professional work, etc. I believe the need for people to have more than one online identity is due to privacy and security.
Below is an interesting video which shows how easy it is for people to intrude into your privacy.
However, I do not see it as a bad thing entirely. I believe the marketers use this way to track down customers’ information to bring relevant advertisements and offer helpful guidance to them.
Jeff Jarvis said: “Those are the two identities we are trying to manage—not our work selves and our home selves, not our party selves and our serious selves, but our inner, real selves and our outer, show selves… the great unspoken fear: that we’re not who people think we are, and we’ll be found out. ” (Jeff, Jarvis, 2011)
Our personal online identity is usually displayed on social platforms, our “real selves” might not be desirable in portraying ourselves to the working society; you certainly do not want your future employer(s) to see you getting tagged on a photo of your drunken state, for example. As a result, people chose to create another online identity, “show selves” that they want people to view themselves as and which are better fitting to the professional world.
Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook has no sympathy for people who have more than one identity. “Having two identities for yourself is an example of a lack of integrity.” (Mark Zuckerberg, 2010) It seems that having two identities online can be viewed as being unethical.
I personally agree with Mark Zuckerberg that the days of one having different images for work friends and for the other people they know are probably coming to an end soon. According to my experience, I access many social networks on a daily basis. It became too comfortable for me that I share many information about myself online and came to a state that I do not mind different groups of people knowing me as that one identity from social sites or other sources. Having one identity is easier to maintain but it still depends on individuals if they are comfortable to show up as one identity to different groups of people. Moreover, many websites and accounts are able to integrate and form connections to one another such as Facebook, Instagram, etc; which shows that in general, people are gradually changing from having many online identities into one.
In the marketing context, I feel that it will be of great advantage to the marketers if people are having one online identity. Information such as consumers’ interests and habits will be more accurate and reliable.
Last but not least, here is a group photo of us that you requested during the Hangout! 🙂
References:
Webopedia.com, (2014). What is virtual identity? – A Word Definition From the Webopedia Computer Dictionary. [online] Available at: http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/V/virtual_identity.html [Accessed 1 Dec. 2014].
Dark Reading, (2014). Online Privacy: We Just Don’t Care. [online] Available at: http://www.darkreading.com/risk-management/online-privacy-we-just-dont-care/d/d-id/1110535? [Accessed 1 Dec. 2014].
BuzzMachine, (2011). One identity or more? — BuzzMachine. [online] Available at: http://buzzmachine.com/2011/03/08/one-identity-or-more/ [Accessed 1 Dec. 2014].
SFist, (2014). Zuckerberg Has Always Believed That We’re Only Entitled To One Identity. [online] Available at: http://sfist.com/2014/09/19/zuckerberg_has_always_believed_that.php [Accessed 1 Dec. 2014].
YouTube, (2014). Internet Privacy Prank. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLWmjpPoJHk [Accessed 1 Dec. 2014].
Img.wonderhowto.com, (2014). [online] Available at: http://img.wonderhowto.com/img/original/60/92/63479609513566/0/634796095135666092.jpg [Accessed 1 Dec. 2014].
CrossingThought. 
Hi Zoe! That’s a really interesting video on Internet Privacy Prank. I would say that the host is lucky to pick those people whose online profiles are accessible to the public. I mean, won’t you agree with me that they will not want to interview people with closed online profiles?
You mentioned that you do not mind having different groups of people knowing you as what your main identity portrait you as, does that involved your next potential employer as well? If not, how will you want yourself to be identified in the employer’s market?
It might seem unethical to have more than one online identity but will you still consider the same if the given scenario is that the man has another online identity because the present one contain its rebellious teenage past (Alex Master, 2011)? For instance, he’s afraid of being rejected by potential employers because of his past? How would you then respond to the man if you are the employer?
(P.S. It is okay if you are unable to answer all the questions, I just want to know your opinions and thoughts. Take care :))
References
Identity on the Internet: The pros and cons of anonymity | | Independent Editor’s choice Blogs. 2014. Identity on the Internet: The pros and cons of anonymity | | Independent Editor’s choice Blogs. [ONLINE] Available at:http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/09/19/identity-on-the-internet-the-pros-and-cons-of-anonymity/. [Accessed 01 December 2014].
LikeLike
Hi Wen Hui! Appreciate your comment!
Yes, I would love my employer to know me as the way I am. I like to be genuine before people and I believe they would like to know me better as well; my personalities, hobbies, thoughts, I would love to share these with them! Of cause they will know my professional side through my resume but I do not mind them checking out my personal life online as well. I rather be rejected in the initial stage than making my life difficult after finding things out. Career is part of your life, it is crucial to find a boss who can accept your past and like you being you.
I do not agree on Mark Zuckerberg entirely that having more than one identity is having lack of integrity. But rather I feel that it is more of being redundant than unethical. If I am the employer of the man who has his rebellious teenage past, I would appreciate if he is honest and not hiding it intentionally. No one is perfect and Of cause it also depends on the job itself. If he is not suitable for the job I would not hesitate to reject him. After all, it is better to reject him now than halfway finding out that actually he is not a good fit.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for your response, Zoe 🙂
Look forward to reading your post(s) in the upcoming topics! Have fun! 😀
LikeLike
Hi Zoie,
Thumbs up for the great post ! I agreed with your view that people creates multiple online identity for privacy and security. It is easy for hackers to gain personal information (e.g mobile no, address etc) IF our account is not secured or lax in privacy setting. Malicious act invites unlawful crimes and tarnished one’s reputation. In my accounts, only friends whom i have accepted are able to view my profile (minus important personal information).
As marketers, i will agree that it is useful to track consumer’s behavior on the web and recommend related advertisements to them. As what you perceived having multiple online identities is unethical, tracking one’s information without the person consent is unethical too. I wouldn’t mind though if it is stated in the website that they ARE using cookies and remind people who do not wish to be tracked to delete their cookies. Unfortunately, not much of the sites provides that.
LikeLike
Hi Yi Ming! It was great knowing your views!
Yes, totally agree with you that our personal information can be easily “stolen”. But in some cases people still got hacked even when their accounts are private. I guess we do not have total control over our information online.
Not only is tracking of information useful to marketers, it can useful for consumers as well. Yes, it can be unethical especially when it is without our consent but it still depends on how you want to view it. As for me, I am aware that my information is useful for organizations and some websites indeed have hidden cookies that is why I am prepared to be tracked. Of course, I control as much as I can not to “expose” those information that I do not want them to know. But there are other information that I do not mind them to track. I guess our information being tracked is not entirely a bad thing after all. Some advertisements online are really useful and help us in our purchase! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi MR!
Thanks for an interesting post I thought the video about privacy intrusion was hilarious. The complete shock and awkward reaction shows people have no idea that their information could be easily leaked out just like this!
Do you think that these people will still continue to share what they are posting online after knowing about this?
However I do not share the same agreement with you about Mark Zuckerberg’s quote: I think the phrase “lacking of integrity” is too strong a phrase to use just because people have multiple identities online. This is because I feel that the different multiple identities are not about hiding oneself or faking an impression but the concern of privacy (Profs, 2009). But then again, there are also people out there whom manipulate multiple identities to cheat like in Aetiiqcaz’s friend case (mention in his post) and therefore in such cases; I do agree to Mark Zuckerberg’s quote.
Thanks for the post and I am looking forward to your reply =) !
References:
Profs, M. (2009). Retrieved from Marketing Profs: http://www.marketingprofs.com/9/five-levels-online-privacy-tracking-sterne.asp
LikeLike
Hi Kelly! Thanks for your comment!
Personally I feel that we are aware that our information can be easily leaked online but we do not really bother to manage it because we do not think people will be that interested to find us out. Think about it, if you are a celebrity, will you start worrying about your information online, will you start deleting any unglam photos of yourself? I assume it’s a yes. See, you’re aware of how dangerous the internet is. It’s just that we thought people will not be that “crazy” to find us out, that is why we just leave it there. Therefore, although the people in the video are quite shocked but I feel that it’s because no strangers ever confronted them with personal information they found online, I guess it’s their first encounter that is why they “forgot” about the existence of internet and wonder how the stranger knows about them. I’m pretty sure if they are celebrities, and the stranger came up to them with their personal information, their first thought will be: “IT MUST BE THE INTERNET.” See my point?
Mark Zuckerberg claimed that having more than one identity is having a lack of integrity, I do not agree with him entirely 🙂 Gearing towards the aspect of privacy and security, I feel that having multiple identity is more of being redundant than being unethical because nothing online is ever private. I totally agree with you that on the aspect of crime case, having multiple identity to cheat, Mark Zuckerberg’s quote can be applied!
Thanks for the visit! Looking forward to more discussion with you in the future
LikeLike
Hi Yi Ming!
The video you shared in your post is very true and it is happening in our society, anyone can check anything they want to know about that particular person with just a name. The Internet has become such an efficient place where people do most of their searching that it is no longer safe or private. I do agree with you that marketers can track down customers’ information to know where, how and what to advertise for their brand. However, come to think of it, not all of our particulars are secured the moment we sign up for newsletter or mailing list as we agreed to disclose it to the company. Like you, I personally feel comfortable in having one identity and I would like people to view me as who I really am, not the “formal” and “informal” sides of me using different social media platforms.
Overall, great post and keep up the awesome work!
Cheers,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Hi Rochelle! Appreciate your comment 🙂
Yes, I agree with you that those companies may not secure our information when we sign up for newsletter or mailing list. Some websites even have “hidden” cookies to track our activities online! I’m glad you have the same thinking as me 🙂 Thanks for your compliment! Looking forward to bring in more interesting posts for you guys!
P/s: I’m Ming Ru (Zoie), not Yi Ming 😀
LikeLike