Arpon, Ma. Merlin C.
202010076
BS Biology – 2
SAS 1 – FN
August 1, 2022
Week 6: Reflection on the Self in the Digital World
When online, I appear relatively extroverted compared to my usual introverted
self. I confidently interact with other people and express my thoughts and feelings
directly and openly to them. I do not hesitate that much in responding unlike my socially
awkward self in real life. I appear livelier than my usual self and more expressive
depending on the type of online platform I am in. For example, when I am on Twitter, I
am more open and expressive of my thoughts as I treat this platform as a diary,
meanwhile, when I am on Facebook, I rarely post about my mood or feelings, instead, I
express my likes and interests there more often than any other social media platforms.
In addition, when I am on Instagram, I only upload my happy and stress-free moments.
The features or essence of these online platforms may be different, but they also have
similarities, such as being able to upload photos or videos and insert captions. I think
that it is their distinct features that allow me to express myself differently on various
social media platforms. However different I express myself across various online
platforms, this does not entail that those versions of me are fake, nor do I intend to fool
anybody whom I interact with. I present myself online in various versions and am only
partial to my true self for security and privacy reasons, especially since online platforms
do not only reach my friends, but also the public who are mostly people I have never
met and known personally. These thoughts are in line with what Sherry Turkle explained
in her interview with Simon Mainwaring that talked about the multiple versions of the self
that are found across the various social media platforms (Mainwaring, 2011). The
various versions of me may not be fully the same as myself outside the digital world, but
a part of me is within these versions. Thus, rather than labeling them as “different” from
myself, I prefer to refer to them as “bits of me.”
Some of the respondents disclosed in the study by Guy (2017) that when they
are online, they get to present themselves in a manner that they cannot do anywhere
else (Sec [Link], para. 1). The digital world also lets me express a version of me that is
not different, rather, a version of me that I cannot, or I am shy to express in the real
world. These online platforms let me express my thoughts, feelings, creativity, and love
for poetry and metaphors. I can do these things anonymously on some platforms, which
I consider a sort of protection from rejection or harsh judgment. Communication apps,
like Messenger, allow me to communicate with my friends and loved ones who are far
from me and let me update them at the same time about my status or the events in my
life. Online platforms are advantageous when it comes to these aspects, however, they
can also be dangerous to me because various evil intentions can be performed online,
like identity theft and scams. It is for these evil behaviors that I need to limit the
information I expose online and form a boundary for my online and offline selves. After
reading the article of Suler (2004), I realized that I have been experiencing the online
inhibition effect. Among the six factors that were cited, I think that invisibility contributes
mostly to my online disinhibition. I am open and expressive in the real world, but only to
my family, my close friend, and in the academe. I treat these online platforms as an
opportunity for me to express myself more, which I seldom do in the offline world. I also
use them for their convenience and my confidence, in terms of socializing, gets boosted
when I use these platforms.
As I am interacting online, it is important to not only protect my identity and
privacy but to also check the intentions of the people I am interacting with. As I consider
my digital self as “bits of me,” I expect the people whom I interact with online to do the
same. This may be possible with my friends and family or those whom I get to interact
with both online and offline, but it is hard to confirm such intentions when it comes to
people whom I have never met physically before and get to know more deeply. As I
have mentioned, evil intentions are prevalent online, and anybody can encounter at
least one or two of these evil behaviors. It is for this reason that I do not usually
communicate with people whom I do not have any connections with, such as friendship,
blood, or school relations. One can express themselves freely as much as they want if it
abides by the law and the moral code. A person can alter, hide, or falsify information
about themselves online as long as this information does not hurt anybody. For
example, altering their names in their social media accounts and hiding their birthdate or
photos are all acceptable behaviors because they could be done for privacy reasons
and are unlikely to hurt other people.
Our personal identity has always been comprised of our reality and our ideals
(Durante, 2011). Thus, the presentation of oneself in the digital world contains real
aspects or characteristics of a person and only the ideas or information that he or she
chose to present to other people. This could be the ideal standard for one’s online
personal identity and self-presentation. Secrets exist probably to keep peace alive
among us, however, a secret hidden with evil intentions will only bring chaos. Thus, it is
important to keep track of the information we are receiving, as well as those we are
giving. Let us make sure that the information about us and others that is shown, hidden,
altered, or falsified is made available for good reasons, otherwise, we will live in a toxic
environment both online and in the real world.
As a student of the University of the Philippines, I pledge to act ethically and uphold the value of
honor and excellence.
I understand that suspected misconduct on given assignments/examinations will be reported to
the appropriate office and if established, will result in disciplinary action in accordance with
University rules, policies, and procedures. I may work with others only to the extent allowed by
the Instructor.
References
Durante, M. (2011). The online construction of personal identity through trust and
privacy. Information, 2, 594-620. [Link]
Guy, A. (2017). The presentation of self on a decentralised web. Doctor of Philosophy
thesis submitted to the University of Edinburgh. Retrieved from:
[Link]
Mainwaring, S. (2011, October 10). Sherry Turkle of MIT: How social media impacts to
your identity (Part 2). We First Inc. Retrieved from:
[Link]
impacts-to-your-identity-part-2/
Suler, J. (2004). The online disinhibition effect. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 7(3),
321-326. [Link]