Chapter 3 Forming Online Identities Online Communication

In this chapter, you will learn: Factors that guide our perceptions of telepresence; The rewards of experimenting with identity; Three perspectives on identity manipulation; Threats to identity posed by new technologies; and Ways you can protect your own identity. Online Communication

Telepresence is the degree to which one feels involved in a mediated environment. depends in part on our perceptions of vividness, or the amount of sensory information the medium offers. also depends on the amount of interactivity, or the ability to manipulate the environment of the medium. Online Communication

Measures of Interactivity Speed of manipulating the environment Range, or amount of the environment affected Mapping, or the response of the environment to the actions of the user Online Communication

Multiple Identities Sherry Turkle suggests that people experiment with multiple identities online. In this way they can see the familiar through unfamiliar eyes and can exercise greater control over their identities than in real life. Online Communication

avatar: an incarnation of oneself in a virtual environment

Online Communication gender-swapping: the adopting of a gender other than one’s own in presenting oneself in mediated contexts

Honesty in Representing Self Online Online Communication Buten, J. (1996). The personal home page institute..

Identity, Pseudonymity, & Anonymity identity: a construct formed by the interaction of the self with the social environment pseudonymity: the use of a “false name” or alias that a person adopts to identify him or herself anonymity: communicating without one’s identity being apparent Online Communication

Threats to Identity identity fraud a criminal’s misuse of another individual’s personal information to make unauthorized purchases or other crimes shadow pages a page on the Web established to attack the reputation of a person, corporation, or another site Online Communication

Protecting Against Identity Fraud Confirm that anyone to whom you give your personal information isn’t selling it to a third party Shred sensitive documents when disposing of them Share your Social Security number only when absolutely necessary Monitor billing cycles for regularity Online Communication

A Brief Review 1. What two qualities contribute to telepresence? 2. What are the benefits to experimenting with identity? 3. What three terms are used to discuss the degree to which someone is known? 4. What are two threats to identity made more important because of new technology? 5. How can you protect your identity? Online Communication