How many times a day do you think you identify yourself? Introducing yourself to someone new, maybe writing your name down on an exam, signing after your credit card. What about logging onto facebook, myspace, AIM, email, or even purchasing things off the internet. The number can quickly add up. So lets define Identity. Defined on Wikipedia.org, identity describes an individuals comprehension of him or herself as a discrete, separate entity. Online Identity applies the same kind of thing, yet it is defined as a social identity that network users establish in online communities.
Everyone in our class is part of an online community. If you are registered for COM125 it means you are registered at UB, which means you have to have a UB email address. This educational address is used for school proposes. I'm sure the majority of us have another email address we use. I know I use a different to send my junk mail to.
Lets take a popular online community, like Facebook. 97% of incoming freshman create a Facebook. The community was originally made for colleges and universities, but through the last couple of years, the community has expanded and now anyone can make one. The basic use of this system IS to identify yourself through pictures, comments and information. But how much can you believe in someone else's Facebook? The answer to that is NONE. The internet communities is a scary place to take part in. There are many weirdos out there trying to identify themselves as someone they are not, whether its for fun, money, or just pleasure, trust no one.
I recently read an article about Identity theft. It talked mostly about how identities are easily taken online through credit and debit cards. It seems quite simple. When you purchase something online how often do you think to yourself, "damn, I hope no one tries to hack this"? I hope your answer was "every time" if not, you may need to stop being such an honest person, no offense. But to my surprise, the least expected place where your identity is to be taken is not on the internet, but in a restaurant. I guess it makes sense, you are personally handing over your credit card in complete trust to someone you do not even know. They have your card for about 5 min and hand it back to you. In those 5 min they can easily write down the name and numbers and go home and have a complete shopping spree on their internet. Sorry, to get off topic of ONLINE identity, but I just found it so interesting.
Instant messaging is another scary place where many people claim to be someone who they are not. I've never used a chat room, but I use to have an open screen where anyone could 'search' me and just start talking to me. I had some really weird comments but I always ignored them. Many young girls use chat rooms as a way of meeting 'boys' their age. But how many of these men really are who they say they are? and how many of these girls are really as old as they say they are? A number of reported incidence have occurred over the years with young girls agreeing to meet a young boy they met in a chart room and only coming to find they are not who they said they were and they end up in some really bad situations.
The bottom line is, if you are going to be online, use an identity that doesn't define who you are and never trust anyone.
3 comments:
Great Blog! I wish facebook stayed for college student's only. When I originally signed up it was for that reason. As far as chat rooms are concerned I avoid them, your right you never know who your talking to.
Thats a really good point, I never thought about paying your bill at a restaurant, its not like Denny's where you go up to the counter and they run it in front of you, at nice establishments they take the card from you and go to the back room to charge you for your meal, who knows who else could get your credit card number. Good BLog!
Hey i love facebook but i agree it should be just available to college students!
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