The Concept of Constructing an identity in a digital world is referred to the way an individual expresses, presents and forms their sense of identity on digital platforms. Some aspects include Digital identity formation, Digital self presentation, multiple identities and online vs offline identity.
Digital Identity Formation – The digital world has expanded highly and now has tools that allows individual’s to change or adapt to their online personas. Digital tools such as choosing your profile picture or your username or adding a bio all add to the online persona. Individuals today have more freedom online to share their interest or values without being judged.
Digital Self Presentation- This is similar to digital identity formation as its the concept that individual’s have control over what they share and how they present their identity things like the way they communicate online and what they emphasize on, on their page that being the car they brought or the aspect of them being a singer to keep them in the best image online rather than reality.
Multiple Identities- Many individuals today hold different identities online through different platforms. With the expanding of digital platforms and the tools they offer individuals have found it easier to present different identities on different platforms to fit the expectation on each platform. For example someone could present their day to day life on Instagram but are known as the amazing singer on TikTok. That plays a big role in the followers they have on each platform, depending on what they are delivering they will have a following that relates to that part of their identity.
Online vs Offline identity- Most people who are are known on digital platforms usually separate between their online and offline identities, so they would choose to keep their family, relationships private as its not part of the identity they have created on digital platforms for example if someone’s platform is dedicated to beauty then posting their private life such as what they had for dinner that night doesn’t interest their audience. Some peoples offline identities is in the sense where they live completely different lives than their online identities for example they could be a teacher but have a following on a certain social media platform that they share their interest in photography on. Individuals now choose what identity they want to take on for the day.
Summary
Construction of Identity in a Digital World is something people have normalised, it has now become a part of peoples life. Today individuals have freedom to choose and pick which identity they want to act for the day, as they have now the ability to change the colour of their hair in their profile picture or cut out the negativity in their day to day life’s and create a positive online ‘life’ for themselves. Today construction of identity in a digital world is a escape from the real world to majority.
Reference
Digital Identity Construction (openai.com)
Lauren Spencer Smith (@laurenspencersmith) • Instagram photos and videos
Lauren spencer-Smith (@sadgirlflowers19) | TikTok
