This document discusses how young people form identities both offline and online. Offline, identity is formed within a small social circle, while online identities allow exploration and validation from a wider audience. The positives of online identity exploration include increased confidence and social validation. However, the negatives include the potential to mislead others, avoid self-reflection, and develop an over-reliance on others' feedback at the cost of an autonomous identity. Balancing online identity experimentation with responsibility and commitment to one's real-world identity is important for healthy development.

1. DIGITAL MEDIA
Based on ‘Young People, Ethics and the
New Digital Media: A synthesis from the
Good Play Project by Carrie James

2. Task
 Write down all the rules you think govern the
internet (what is allowed, what is not allowed?)
 What are the positive aspects, in your opinion,
of the internet in general?
 What are the positive aspects of social
networking sites?
 What are the negative aspects of the internet?
 What are the negative aspects of social
networking sites?

4. IDENTITY
 Write down any qualities that you think define
you as a person – start with basic ones, your
height, weight etc.
 Are you a happy person, lots of friends, like a
certain type of music, like going out, prefer
staying in?
 What are the qualities that other people would
say you have?
 What would you change about yourself if you
could? Why?

5. Offline identity
 Offline, youth identity formation is limited to a small
sphere of validation – friends, family and peers.
 We develop through our lives to become the person
with traits we feel most comfortable with.
 This sort of development is an ongoing process. It is
gradual and each value is tested on this validation
group and can take a lifetime to form.
 In terms of our offline selves, there are limits to how an
individual can change.

6. Task
 In pairs, write down the qualities of what
you would consider a person who you
would want to know
 Context: if you were looking on a social
networking site and saw the profile of
someone you would want to send a
message to, what about them would
interest you?

7. How real are online
identities?

8. Online identity
 Boyd: ‘…online youth have to write themselves
into being.’
 From one viewpoint, the online world is a place
to explore identity. It can be a low risk
environment.
 Individuals gain validation from a wider range
of people.
 Online, they are unlimited in who they become.

9. Advantages
 People seek to validate the things they feel
they want to be.
 The people in their immediate offline area will
give a small sphere of validation.
 Online spaces can be considered low stake
places to explore identity.
 It could be argued that by creating a ‘second
you’ that you can take a different perspective
from your offline self and develop an
appreciation of others’ perspectives. It could
create more social harmony.

10. Ctd/-
 It could also encourage self reflection by having to
consider who you wish to be online
 This could encourage an awareness of one’s own
position, responsibilities to self and others’
 An online identity can provide a more ‘heard’ voice and
a more validated identity.
 If feedback received is positive when online, it may
provide more confidence in an offline personality.
 If feedback is negative, individuals can revise their
identities without embarrassment.
 Social validation (which is increasingly attained online)
may prevent social alienation, bullying etc.

11. The negatives of virtual
play
 Identity play can be beneficial but…
 It may undermine rather than enhance identity
if the individual avoids or fails to commit to
social roles and responsibilities.
 It can be negative when a deliberately harmful
identity is created.
 Self reflection becomes overshadowed by self
promotion.
 Silverstone (2007) suggests something like a
ripple effect – harming many close and then
distant ‘others’.

12. Ctd/-
 Friends or strangers can be misled about a person’s offline
identity.
 In online games where identities are developed, experimentation
is one thing but only acceptable if it is known that that is the state
of play.
 Consider the dangers if one participant in Second Life lies to
another about their age.
 The online persona can affect the offline
 Young people (using MOG as an example) may experiment with
harmful identities such as murderer, rapist or misogynist.
 Cyber bullying has very real ramifications in the offline
environment.

13.  Evidence suggests that online identities reflect
key elements of offline ones (Huffaker 2006;
Valentine & Holloway 2002)
 Glass 1993 and Turkle 1995 show concern that
individuals creating fragmented selves on and
offline may become frustrated with their with
the inability to connect the two selves.
 A healthy sense of self may not be developed.

14.  Stern (2007) interviewed teenagers who
constructed homepages deliberately to be eye
catching and wanting to attract a public
audience.
 They left out parts of themselves they were not
happy about.
 There is little possibility of self reflection when
one avoids the parts of themselves that need
that reflection the most.
 If one relies on feedback too much, autonomy
becomes more difficult.

15. Some things to consider
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFsfD
LCkfQU
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKvXP
M-EVDQ&feature=related

16.  Turkle (2008) uses the term ‘tethering’ to
describe this over reliance on others’
feedback and constant connectivity to
others.
 This can lead to individuals avoiding
being ‘alone’ and so all validation, or
encouragement to do the right, or
wrong, thing comes from outside of
themselves.