Identity construction in the digital world is the process of having a digital identity about oneself created by users on the Internet and digital platforms. It encompasses personal information, social media activities, and various online behaviours of users.
In this blog, in order to better understand identity construction in the digital world, I will analyse it by giving examples from two aspects: the multifaceted nature of the digital age and identity in virtual reality. What the construction of identity in the digital world will bring to the user and what impact it will have on the development of the digital world.
Multifaceted Faces of the digital age
- Users are often able to show different aspects of themselves on different social media accounts to meet the needs of the users of the major platforms and the context in which they live.
- On Instagram users can share their snapshots, photos, etc., while being able to communicate with their favourite celebrities in Instagram;
- On YouTube, users customise their channel by creating their own account, uploading videos and commenting on others’ videos;
- On Facebook, users can link with family and friends for social relations, and also create groups to interact with people with the same interests, and at the same time, Facebook has also launched a feature called Facebook marketplace, where users can create groups and then Buy, sell and other items.
There is a very popular blogger on TikTok.
What they often create on TikTok is to try all sorts of odd flavours of food, thus building an identity, and then open two more accounts to provide users with some goodies to share, while bandwagoning on adverts.
This suggests that the versatility of the digital age can be of great benefit when users construct identities for themselves, being able to do so differently in the face of different user needs.
The family has done a great job of identity construction on social media because watching their videos always brings me some happiness.
At the same time, identity construction in the digital world has made an impact on them.
They have gained opportunities while showing the life of the family. He and his family have worked with top brands such as Disney, Pepsi, WB, Toyota, and other influential figures such as David Lopez and Christian Del Grosso.
Identity construction in the digital world provides users with social and professional opportunities, and while users engage in multifaceted identity construction, it also raises various types of security concerns.
Identity in Virtual Reality
With the continuous development and improvement of the digital world, users can create their own digital virtual identities in the virtual world, which can have a unique expression in the digital world, enriched with the user’s personal interests.
This is a game called “逆水寒nishuihan”. In this game, users can create their own avatars, choose their character’s identity, do quests, and meet different users in the era set by the game.
The game has generated a great deal of discussion and constructive feedback from users and has the potential to be a catalyst for development in the digital world.
Identity in virtual reality can give users a more immersive experience, a more accurate perception of identity construction in the digital world, and enhance the sense of interaction between digital technology and users. However, at the same time, users should also protect their privacy.
In conclusion, identity construction in the digital world is rich and diverse, and users should protect their privacy and security, as well as provide opinions for the development of the digital world.
Using the examples of the multifaceted nature of the digital age and identity in virtual reality, the first is that with the improvement and advancement of digital technology, users have more platforms for identity construction and can better understand the diversity of identity construction.
The second is that with the emergence of more platforms, users’ privacy and personal security should be safeguarded, which can also reflect the complexity of identity construction.
Bibliography：
https://medium.com/@haziqsabreen25/putting-the-best-digital-self-forward-in-the-age-of-social-media-d3dbec422b73
周维栋. 元宇宙时代的数字公民身份：认同困境、实践逻辑与理论证成[J]. 电子政务，2022(10): 62-74.
Media and communication Scannell, Paddy
In this day and age, most people build different identities online, so there must be some benefits to it, such as making money through this as you mentioned. However, as the number of users increases, more and more people try to use this method to make money, which may lead to a decline in video quality, or some people use this method to promote some low-quality things, which will lead to a decline in the industry. develop towards an unfavorable situation