I started a Facebook profile after high school because at the time Facebook was a way to connect with other college students. I was against MySpace because I did not see the point in creating a profile as a way to express oneself. I enjoyed Facebook, but would not have created the profile if I was not heading to college. By now I would have a profile, mainly because everyone has a profile now and I would not want to deny the form of communication.
I try to project my personality as accurately as possible. I have every information section filled in. The sections include my relationship status, interests, music choices, and quotes. My “about me” section is left anonymous because I cannot constrain my identity to a couple sentences, and did not want to make that section as long as a novel. I do not write status updates, I hardly write on people’s walls, and rarely use Facebook to interact. Relationships are extremely important to me, as they are with most people, and I don’t understand people who advertise their friendships with constant wall posts. Because of my inability to relate to the public wall posts I keep my conversations with my friends anonymous as far as Facebook is concerned.
My favorite aspect of Facebook is the site’s ability to collect media. Using Facebook as a public library for pictures and videos is great for sharing memories and reflecting life’s experiences. I do not hesitate to reveal or allow the revealing of who I am through media. Many pictures have been tagged of me that are embarrassing or less than flattering, but they are memories and a part of my life that I want to be able to look back on. For this reason I feel I show a pretty true identity of who I am in the media portion of Facebook.
I have used some form of pseudonymity with Facebook. The book explains how pseudonymity allows for the fashioning of one’s image. My profile picture is normally a picture that looks better than I actually look. I do not give myself a fake name, but rather I choose a more attractive image in order to be perceived more positively. Although some may say this is my true identity, my picture was definitely chosen in order for me to be perceived in an enhanced manner.
Profile pictures are the norm for Facebook and MySpace users, so anonymity is more difficult with these mediums. If pictures were not socially required on these sites then I feel people would capitalize on their anonymity by creeping on other people, saying hurtful things, and with the use of fake names. Online Communication stresses our society’s value for privacy. Facebook already exposed users’ information that was thought to be anonymous and private with the creation of Beacon. Facebook’s Beacon advertised users’ purchase decisions on the site’s mini-feed. The information we put on our profiles are provided for friends to see in most cases. As society we use Facebook as a form of self-presentation. Facebook and MySpace help us project our desired identity.
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January 30, 2009 at 5:59 am
Yes, it is very true, Daniel, that it is hard to hide your identity on Facebook and Myspace when the norm is to post pictures. However, despite tons of requests to update my online profile and picture, I am still wary and very careful. I used the computer’s built in camera, bad lighting and a water bottle in my face when I took my picture for Facebook. If you saw me on the street you would have no idea it was me in the picture. Only “true” friends would know it is me. My cousin has had her identity stolen, I mean really badly that she has not used the internet at home for over two years. Recently I talked her into a Mac so that we could keep in contact while she is in Australia. Her online picture is actually a photo of one of my Christmas angels, her identity is Mary Smith from Smallville and only she and I know otherwise her true identity. She is a bit paranoid, but for good reason.
I think if I had more control over who sees what on these sites, I might be a little more upfront about myself. As it is, if you allow friends to view your information and you allow someone in that you “kinda” know, that person would be privvy to the same information as everyone else. I’d like to be able to allow say, my school parents not to see or join into conversations that my best friends and I get into. So, because I can’t, I don’t get “deep” on Facebook.
After saying all that, through a community of a friend from high school, I found some long lost buddies and we have reconnected. That much is fun.