Digital Identity
As mentioned in the articles, the internet and being online is a becoming a crucial part in shaping the identities of teens around the world. The internet is doing so by allowing kids and adults to connect with one another, share similar stories, and feel as though they are with groups of similar identities. People are able to find more and more people that are interested in the same things as them, creating an online community that can grow in and through each other. Digital identity is helping younger kids find their online self, as well as there offline self. To me, the two go hand in hand and help enhance and develop the other.
Although I think it would be tougher for the internet to have an impact on the development of identity in adults, I think there are some cases it would not be. By the time most people reach adulthood, they have themselves for the most part figured out. The key word is most. Some adults may have felt like they know their identity, but when immersed into the online culture, they find new interests and parts of themself they didn’t know of before. For example, my aunt did not have an instagram until she was in her late 20’s. At first she used it casually, but then because of the app and the culture on it, she began to love photography and editing. She found a community online and would share and comment on the content she loved. Up until this age, she had no idea that she even remotely liked photography, but now it is an integral part of her identity thanks to the internet.
Digital identity is such a unique topic because I feel as though it is different for each person, even if they are apart of the same demographic. The internet however, is making it easier for people who have similar developing identities which is really cool. People are able to find others like them and connect to them online like they may not be able to do with people offline. Although there are some negative cases of the internet influencing identity, I think it can also be very beneficial too many young kids and adults who are struggling to find themselves offline.
