Who Am I in the Cyber World? (The Digital Self) Comprehensive Study Guide

Lesson Objectives - By the end of this lesson, students should be able to: - Define the concept of online identity. - Compare and contrast real identity versus online identity. - Describe the various influences the Internet has on sexuality and gender. - Discuss the proper ways of demonstrating values and attitudes in an online environment. # Understanding Online Identity: Abstraction - Global Internet Usage: Currently, more than half of the worldwide population uses the Internet. It has become an integral part of everyday life for the majority of the global population. - The Philippines: This country is recognized as being among those with the most active Internet users. - Definition of Online Identity: Online identity is defined as the sum of all our individual characteristics and our interactions in the digital space. - Definition of Partial Identity: This is a subset of specific characteristics that make up our overall identity. - Definition of Persona: A persona is the partial identity we create to represent ourselves in a specific situation. # Selective Self-Presentation and Impression Management - Self-Presentation Definition: This is the "process of controlling how one is perceived by other people." - Impression Management Strategies: In order to construct positive images, individuals selectively provide information about themselves and carefully cater this information in response to the feedback received from others. - Historical Context of Sharing: The act of sharing aspects of ourselves is not a new phenomenon; it has been practiced since the formation of human beings. - Impact of Digital Devices: Modern digital devices allow individuals to share information more broadly than ever before. - The Era of Self-Portraiture: We have entered an extraordinary era of self-portraiture. In older family albums, the photographer was often omitted from the collection. In contrast, modern "arm’s-length" photos, such as selfies and groupies, necessarily include the photographer. # Sharing and The Vulnerability of the Digital Self - Public Revelations: There has been a conversion of private diaries into public revelations of inner secrets. - Privacy and Vulnerability: The lack of privacy in many aspects of social media makes users significantly more vulnerable. - Content of Sharing: Users share a wide range of experiences, including "the good things, the bad, embarrassing, and 'sinful' things." Interaction also includes reacting to and commenting on the negative experiences of others, empathizing with people, or engaging in online arguments. - Digital Fora for Confession: Blogs and social media serve as the primary digital arenas for these confessions. Photo- and video-sharing sites also preserve and share blunders and bad moments. - The Filtering System: It is essential to have a filtering system for whatever information is shared online, as well as for evaluating the information shared or posted by others. # Gender and Sexuality Online - Distinction of Terms: While "sex," "gender," and "sexuality" are often used synonymously, they are distinct concepts. - Sex: The biological state corresponding to "man" or "woman." While often explained as biological, fixed, and immutable, it is actually socially constructed. - Gender: The social understanding of how sex should be experienced and how sex manifests in behavior, personality, preferences, and capabilities. It is a socioculturally specific set of norms mapped onto the category of "sex." - Sexuality: An individual expression and understanding of desire. Although often viewed as a binary (homosexual or heterosexual), sexuality is in reality often experienced as fluid. # Performing Gender Online - Judith Butler’s Framework: Conceptualized gender as a performance rather than something that comes naturally to men and women. - Gender as Performative: Gender is produced through millions of individual actions. - Fluidity and Choice: The ability of users to self-consciously adapt and play with different gender identities online reveals the choices involved in the production of gender. This allows for breaking down binaries and encouraging fluidity in sexuality and gender expression. - Cultural Participation: Social media is celebrated for facilitating greater cultural participation and creativity. # Free Culture and Digital Production - Emergence of Free Culture: A culture where individuals are empowered to engage in cultural production using raw materials. These materials range from homemade videos to mainstream television characters used to create new culture, memes, and humor. - Gender and Blogging: While the number of male and female bloggers is roughly equivalent, they tend to blog about different topics. Even when using the same technologies, the norms and mores of the users differ. # Setting Boundaries: Smart Sharing - Pre-Post Considerations: Before sharing or posting anything online, individuals should consider the following questions: - Is this post/story necessary? - Is there a real benefit to this post (e.g., is it funny, warm-hearted, teachable, or just noise)? - Have we (as a family or parent/child) resolved this issue? Issues that are vulnerable, highly emotional, or still being worked out at home should not be made public. - Is it appropriate and does it stay within the boundaries of family values? - Will this seem as funny in 5, 10, or 15 years, or is it better suited for a small group or not at all? # Ethical Guidelines and Rules to Follow (New, 2014) - Stick to safer sites. - Guard your passwords. - Limit what you share. - Data Permanence: Remember that anything put online or posted on a site is there forever, even if an attempt is made to delete it. - Etiquette: Do not be mean to or embarrass other people online. - Reporting: Always tell someone if you see strange or bad behavior online. - Friend Selection: Be choosy about your online friends. - Practice patience.

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

  • Define the concept of online identity.

  • Compare and contrast real identity versus online identity.

  • Describe the various influences the Internet has on sexuality and gender.

  • Discuss the proper ways of demonstrating values and attitudes in an online environment.

Understanding Online Identity: Abstraction

  • Global Internet Usage: Currently, more than half of the worldwide population uses the Internet. It has become an integral part of everyday life for the majority of the global population.

  • The Philippines: This country is recognized as being among those with the most active Internet users.

  • Definition of Online Identity: Online identity is defined as the sum of all our individual characteristics and our interactions in the digital space.

  • Definition of Partial Identity: This is a subset of specific characteristics that make up our overall identity.

  • Definition of Persona: A persona is the partial identity we create to represent ourselves in a specific situation.

Selective Self-Presentation and Impression Management

  • Self-Presentation Definition: This is the "process of controlling how one is perceived by other people."

  • Impression Management Strategies: In order to construct positive images, individuals selectively provide information about themselves and carefully cater this information in response to the feedback received from others.

  • Historical Context of Sharing: The act of sharing aspects of ourselves is not a new phenomenon; it has been practiced since the formation of human beings.

  • Impact of Digital Devices: Modern digital devices allow individuals to share information more broadly than ever before.

  • The Era of Self-Portraiture: We have entered an extraordinary era of self-portraiture. In older family albums, the photographer was often omitted from the collection. In contrast, modern "arm’s-length" photos, such as selfies and groupies, necessarily include the photographer.

Sharing and The Vulnerability of the Digital Self

  • Public Revelations: There has been a conversion of private diaries into public revelations of inner secrets.

  • Privacy and Vulnerability: The lack of privacy in many aspects of social media makes users significantly more vulnerable.

  • Content of Sharing: Users share a wide range of experiences, including "the good things, the bad, embarrassing, and 'sinful' things." Interaction also includes reacting to and commenting on the negative experiences of others, empathizing with people, or engaging in online arguments.

  • Digital Fora for Confession: Blogs and social media serve as the primary digital arenas for these confessions. Photo- and video-sharing sites also preserve and share blunders and bad moments.

  • The Filtering System: It is essential to have a filtering system for whatever information is shared online, as well as for evaluating the information shared or posted by others.

Gender and Sexuality Online

  • Distinction of Terms: While "sex," "gender," and "sexuality" are often used synonymously, they are distinct concepts.

  • Sex: The biological state corresponding to "man" or "woman." While often explained as biological, fixed, and immutable, it is actually socially constructed.

  • Gender: The social understanding of how sex should be experienced and how sex manifests in behavior, personality, preferences, and capabilities. It is a socioculturally specific set of norms mapped onto the category of "sex."

  • Sexuality: An individual expression and understanding of desire. Although often viewed as a binary (homosexual or heterosexual), sexuality is in reality often experienced as fluid.

Performing Gender Online

  • Judith Butler’s Framework: Conceptualized gender as a performance rather than something that comes naturally to men and women.

  • Gender as Performative: Gender is produced through millions of individual actions.

  • Fluidity and Choice: The ability of users to self-consciously adapt and play with different gender identities online reveals the choices involved in the production of gender. This allows for breaking down binaries and encouraging fluidity in sexuality and gender expression.

  • Cultural Participation: Social media is celebrated for facilitating greater cultural participation and creativity.

Free Culture and Digital Production

  • Emergence of Free Culture: A culture where individuals are empowered to engage in cultural production using raw materials. These materials range from homemade videos to mainstream television characters used to create new culture, memes, and humor.

  • Gender and Blogging: While the number of male and female bloggers is roughly equivalent, they tend to blog about different topics. Even when using the same technologies, the norms and mores of the users differ.

Setting Boundaries: Smart Sharing

  • Pre-Post Considerations: Before sharing or posting anything online, individuals should consider the following questions:

    • Is this post/story necessary?

    • Is there a real benefit to this post (e.g., is it funny, warm-hearted, teachable, or just noise)?

    • Have we (as a family or parent/child) resolved this issue? Issues that are vulnerable, highly emotional, or still being worked out at home should not be made public.

    • Is it appropriate and does it stay within the boundaries of family values?

    • Will this seem as funny in 5, 10, or 15 years, or is it better suited for a small group or not at all?

Ethical Guidelines and Rules to Follow (New, 2014)

  • Stick to safer sites.

  • Guard your passwords.

  • Limit what you share.

  • Data Permanence: Remember that anything put online or posted on a site is there forever, even if an attempt is made to delete it.

  • Etiquette: Do not be mean to or embarrass other people online.

  • Reporting: Always tell someone if you see strange or bad behavior online.

  • Friend Selection: Be choosy about

The lesson discusses the concept of online identity, which encompasses all individual characteristics and interactions in the digital space. It highlights the importance of the internet, noting that over half the world's population is now online. Key terminology includes online identity, partial identity, and persona, with an emphasis on self-presentation and impression management strategies that individuals use to shape how they are perceived. The lesson also addresses the vulnerability of the digital self, emphasizing the need for caution when sharing personal information online, and discusses gender and sexuality in the digital realm, illustrating the distinctions between sex, gender, and sexuality.

Judith Butler’s framework is mentioned, conceptualizing gender as a performance, and discussing the fluidity and choice involved in online identity expression. The emergence of free culture allows for cultural production and unique online expressions. Ethical guidelines for online sharing are also emphasized, urging individuals to consider the long-term implications of what they share while fostering a safer online environment.