Online Personas
It is fairly safe to say that we have all searched for someone online. But how many of us have looked for ourselves? Whether we think about it or not, we all have an online identity. How often do we think about this identity, though, and why it might be important to do so?
Please read the material in these links. The first discusses how to effectively “Google” yourself Links to an external site. – more accurately stated, it discusses how to research what is online about you, your life, your connections, your professional affiliations, and so forth.
Online identity: is authenticity or anonymity more important? Links to an external site. discusses a few decision making points regarding online identity. How much does online identity matter? It would seem our online identities matter quite a bit, but to whom? This article reminds us that one point of view is to strive for an accurate or authentic online identity, while another strategy is to strive for relative anonymity.
The degree to which the latter is even possible is discussed in this article titled “How to Erase Yourself From the Internet Links to an external site.”, from the website Gizmodo, a design and technology blog affiliated with Gawker Media. As you read, consider the relative pros and cons of doing so. How might it affect candidacy for a job? Is a lack of presence better or worse than an inaccurate one – and why?
By way of context, and to help you reflect on these complex and layered considerations, please read the following article from the Wall Street Journal titled “Cell Phones Help Us Be Alone Together Links to an external site.”. Are you surprised by the author’s comments? How might these comments affect your decision-making with respect to your own online persona?
Image Credit: Vergroot by Dick Sijtsma Links to an external site., CC-BY-NC Links to an external site.