- What is a digital identity?
A person’s identity is a the collective of a person’s digital presence (Stoller). It includes the digital platforms that the person uses and the searchable records that the person leaves on these platforms (Stoller). A person’ digital identity often contains contents that pertains to that person’s profession (Stoller). For example, a visual designer is likely to incorporate his/her portfolio as part of his/her digital identity. Digital identity is also unique to each individual in that it helps to identify each person as a lawful individual within the society, which facilitates activities such as registration, education, employment, and so on (Davos). Due to the nature of digital platforms, people’s digital identities constantly change and adapt (Stoller).
Personally speaking, I think digital identities entail way more than our identities written on an ID card. While our ID card contains enough information about us for identification, our digital identities help to depict profiles about ourselves that help others to know us from all different angels, since they are built upon the collective of our online activities and our online interactions with other people. And because our digital information is stored across digital platforms that have seemingly limitless storage, our digital identities last throughout space and time.
- How do personal versus professional approaches to digital identity affect social media use?
Personal versus professional approaches to digital identity affects people’s social media use in both who they communicate and interact with and how they communicate and interact with these people. Personal use of social media revolves around interactions with people with shared interests and like – mindedness, and people also use social media to connect with friends and families (Spracklen). In these cases, personal approaches to digital identity puts less emphasis on professionalism and objectivity, as people are more likely to look for information that already confirms their pre-existing opinions and ideas (Spracklen). Personal use of social media is often more exclusive, as people are less tolerant of people whose opinions differ from theirs (Spracklen).
On the other hand, professional use of social media often serves a clear and strong purpose, whether it is to facilitate one’s career, or to support one’s professional learning. Thus, professional approaches social media use revolves around interacting with people in the same profession, and these interactions often revolve around professional subjects (Jawd et al.). When engaging in these professional networks, people are also more likely to appear professional and behave in ways that correspond with the expectations of that profession (Jawd et al.). For example, a medical graduate’s professional use of social media may including networking with other medical graduates on Linkedln, engaging in conversations on medical forums, answering medicine-related questions online, to name just a few.
- How do digital identities converge in networked publics – what are the impacts and/or benefits?
Digital identities have profound implications for both individuals and organizations in the public place. For individuals with no identification in both developing nations and developed nations, the technology that helps people get digital identities has profound implications for these people’s lives (Davos). Identification helps with virtually every aspect of people’s lives: access to education, opportunities for employment, registration for public services, digital transactions, to name just a few (Davos). Digital identities also facilitates people’s travel. Instead of an ID card that could easily be lost, digital identities could accompany people regardless of space and time (Davos). For organizations and institutions, the use of digital identities improves work efficiency and facilitates cost reduction in significant ways (Davos).
- Can a digital wallet provide trust in networked publics?
In my opinion, digital wallets could provide trust, but a lot of efforts must be put into the process. Incidents in the real world have proved time and time again that the current system used to protect our privacy and security is flawed. As mentioned in the Davos Forum discussion, new and more advanced technologies should be used to protect our privacy and security. For example, technologies that allow people to choose what information they want to disclose and technologies that allow people to give certification to companies would be particularly useful in these cases (Davos). What’s more, apart from technologies, there should also be commonly agreed upon standards for ethics and conduct for our digital identity, which should be used to guide operations (Davos).
Davos 2019 – Press Conference The Value of Digital Identity for the Global Economy and Society. “Davos 2019 – Press Conference the Value of Digital Identity for the Global Economy and Society.” YouTube, 5 Feb. 2019, youtu.be/1-V7lyxrOmw. Accessed 1 Feb. 2021.
Jawed, Saira, Usman Mahboob, and Rahila Yasmeen. “Digital professional identity: Dear Internet! Who am I?.” Education for Health 32.1 (2019): 33.
Spracklen, Karl. Identity-Making and Social Media. In:Â leisure, the internet and popular culture: Communities and identities in a digital age. Springer, 2015.
Stoller, Eric. “Eric Stoller – What Is Digital Identity?” YouTube, 25 Nov. 2016, youtu.be/u0RryRbJza0. Accessed 1 Feb. 2021.
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