Lesson 9- The Self in the Digital and Virtual World
“How can we expect another to keep our secret if we cannot keep it ourselves?”
With most social interactions now happening in an online platform through very
accessible and user-friendly websites, many people are used to maintaining social media
accounts and presenting themselves in a particular manner to a much bigger public accounts
and presenting themselves in a particular manner to a much bigger public audience. The things
that you publicly like, the groups you join, the communities you support, and even the personal
ideas and opinion you express publicly now become a ready reference for anybody to define
who you are. But are you really the same person you appear to be in your social media
account? Or do you present yourself differently in your social media accounts from the way you
are as a person?
Digital self is the aspect of the self that is expressed or shared to others through the use
of digital technology especially the Internet and social networking.
Jones 2007, maintained that college students view cell phones, instant messaging, and
the Internet as “extension of themselves”.
UNMASKING THE DIGITAL SELF: Online Self- presentation
Social media is also a platform used for people to present their selves in a more favourable
light. The digital world presents a different reality as compared to the actual physical reality that
people usually live in. in digital realities, interactions occur behind the screen so documenting
the daily life and experiences through posting photos and videos, and sharing interests and life
events as they happen now characterize the new norm. In this kind of setup, people present
themselves differently and create an image that is favoured and accepted in the digital world. To
create a positive self- image, people carefully select personal information which they reveal
online. This process of self-presentation enables the individual to control other people’s
perception to oneself, thereby reinforcing the creation of online identities (Goffman 1959 as
cited by Belk 2013).
Types of Self- Presentation
Self- promotion- showing that we are better or capable than others so others will
admire us or they would think highly of us.
Ingratiation- you only want people to like you because you crave attention.
Exemplification- intentions to make other feel bad or make feel not good enough.
Intimidation- instilling fear to other people because you want them to think that you are
dangerous.
Supplication- you want to appear handicapped or unfortunate. But for some, there are
reasons behind example they might need help. Others do this to get attention.
Managing the Digital Self: Responsible Online Self Presentation
Nowadays, people usually gather information through the use of media, information and
technology. It has been our easiest way of doing research. All you need is a gadget, an internet
connection and an open mind to search for the answer to all of our queries regarding a certain
topic, subject, theme etc. It is the advantage of technology and its improvisation developed our
media and information literacy.
We can easily access any transaction even if you are just in the house. Everything is
very accessible. But the question is this safe or is this good, or bad, or can these be really
helpful or a terrible disaster in the near future? This module will help you know what the
responsible uses of media, information and technology are.
The tips for being a responsible user of media information and technology are the following:
1. Be mindful of emotions - We should know how to handle our feelings and emotions.
We should be careful in posting or sharing emotions in social media to avoid bashers
etc.
2. Don’t be glued to your smartphone - open your eyes to the things that surround you.
Learn to appreciate it and don’t focus all your time on using your smart phones or
gadgets etc.
3. Don’t Plagiarize - be original in writing your ideas, expressions and etc. to avoid
plagiarism.
4. Don’t trust, just verify - use the information you've searched as a supporting source.
Make sure that the information you’ve searched is credible and authoritative.
5. Avoid accidentally sharing personal details - This will help you avoid scams or illegal
transactions in social media. Don’t post your phone number, address or even when
you’re going somewhere! Better to be safe than sorry.
6. Know the Rules - Be systematic in knowing the rules to avoid mistakes or problems.
Being knowledgeable is helpful.
Follow it to be considered as a responsible user of media, information and technology. Learning
is fun in this digital world but be careful and be responsible.
Below are questions that you may ask yourself before presenting yourself online. While online
self-presentation may form part of your freedom to express yourself, it may not always appear
the way you intended it to be. To put it simply, the freedom to express oneself online
necessitates a responsibility not to cause any harm or damage to others. Before posting or
sharing anything online, you may think about the following:
Is this post or story necessary?
Is there a real benefit to this post or am I just making noise online without purpose?
Have we resolved this issue? An issue still being worked out in the home, or one that is
either vulnerable or highly emotional, should not be made public.
Is it appropriate? Does it stay within the boundaries of our family values?
Will this seem as funny in five, ten or 15 years? Or is this post better suited for sharing
with a small group of family members? Or maybe not at all?
It is the aspect of the self that is
expressed or shared to others
through the use of
digital technology especially the
Internet and social networking.
