What does it mean to network using social media?
Networking through social media means to connect with others across the Internet. Given a connection to the Internet, anyone and anywhere, from family to friends to strangers, anyone can connect with anyone on social media platforms. Communication can be synchronous or asynchronous, direct or indirect, and it empowers us in personal, consumer, professional, casual, and work settings (FutureLearn, n.d.).
Networks can be for work, personal, educational, and casual settings, and involve the exchanging of ideas and products. It takes the many ways we used to interact with each other and the world around us, into a more personal, convenient, and efficient fashion.
How are we motivated to participate in networked publics?
Participation within Social Networks have the natural incentive of letting us as individuals into social groups or dynamics. In addition to being able to learn and develop ourselves by viewing the ideas and proposals of others, we can share about ourselves and our understandings. An exchange of ideas can make us more skilled, productive, happy, or effective in whatever we may want to achieve in life. This can range from being a better worker, a better consumer, a better person, a better individual by the standards we create for ourselves or others is a society, etc.
Common social networks, such as Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube provide us a way to communicate with family, friends, and like-minded strangers. Others, like LinkedIn allow us to communicate to professionals in related fields. Apart from entertainment, networks such as forums or education sites can help us become life-long learners, adapting to whatever technological, socio-cultural, political, or environmental changes that happen during our lifetimes (FirstMonday, n.d.).
What are the risks & rewards of public communications?
Just as in standing in front of a podium before an audience, public communication online is a way to sell yourself. You are marketing yourself to the world – literally. Practically anyone on the Internet would be able to see what you publicly communicate in your public social media accounts and networks (so long as they wish to find it). Just as in our Personal/Public Learning Networks allows us access to the vast resources and peoples on the Internet, everyone has access to what your share and post (FutureLearn, n.d.).
Personal and professional relationships can be built on social and personal/public learning networks (Rajagopal, 2011). However, just like a gaffe or blunder can damage your first-impressions or relations with other peers in person, the same can be on the Internet. The main risk of the Internet is just that nothing stated or shared publicly is truly ever is deleted or lost.
What is a digital identity?
A digital identity is the collection of usernames, identifiers, and profiles one has as their Internet presence (Stoller, 2016). Similar to a digital footprint (the data traces of ones Internet activity), ones digital identity is the mark one makes on the Internet. It is the culmination of pictures, posts, accounts, and content generated by you that is associated with the ‘real’ in-the-flesh you. Everyone can have a digital identity within their personal or professional online activities, and often the two can mold and blend by being more interconnected (e.g. linking your Facebook and LinkedIn accounts, or sharing different social media links of Twitter).
It is not uncommon for prolific users of the Internet to have multiple digital identities, such a professional one for work, a private one for friends and family, and a personal one for forum discussions, video games, or other more public/anonymous facing online activities. A large number of Internet users have an anonymous or partially anonymous digital identity for privacy. Digital identity can vary for individuals depending on how the subject matters they want to engage with, the response they desire, as well as the target audience they wish to appeal or communicate with.
How do personal versus professional approaches to digital identity affect social media use?
Personal and Professional approaches to digital identity vary in how they are used to portray an individual to their intended audience. A professional digital identity wants to present a straightforward but communicative portrayal of an individual, group, or organization. It focuses on the characteristics, qualifications, and relevant information of the professional setting. A professional approach is more prim, professional (varying on the represented group), and socially acceptable (depending on the culture/audience). Corporate Twitter accounts, police bulletins, stockbroker letters, congratulatory LinkedIn posts, – all of these professional media outlets must be correct, organized, and public-facing.
In contrast, personal media is often engaged with a private or anonymous understanding. Personal media identity’s are directly associated with an individual, be it known or anonymous, and often relates to the actual person and interests of individuals. Personal approaches of social media portray the self-interests and engagement done by an individual. It can be more ‘loose’ or less receptive to the general public, as the actions or posts done to craft a digital identity are directed towards a specific audience. Often, personal media use can be perceived as private, even though it may not be as private as a user thinks it is.
How do digital identities converge in networked publics – what are the impacts and/or benefits?
Both professional and personal digital identity necessitates the use of ownership of social media accounts to either follow along with updates/changes in our professional and personal worlds. The continued use of the Internet and associated digital identity technologies also necessitates that we share our professional and personal lives online to ensure our presence is still active for others to see. Many services or opportunities require us to have an online presence.
While this may seem like an unwanted obligation, it cannot be forgotten that networks still offer us the ability to learn and connect with ideas and persons in a greater capacity than ever before.
References
FutureLearn. (n.d.) What is a Personal Learning Network? FutureLearn. Retrieved from https://www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/learning-network-age/0/steps/24644
Rajagopal, K., Joosten-ten Brinke, D., Van Bruggen, J., & Sloep, P. B. (2011). Understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use them. First Monday, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v17i1.3559
Stoller, Eric. “What is Digital Identity?” YouTube, uploaded by University of Derby, 25 Nov 2016, 0:01-1:08, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0RryRbJza0&ab_channel=UniversityofDerby.
May 24, 2021 at 10:48 am
Hi Allen,
Fantastic blog post, and very insightful regarding the the use of social media and our associated identity. I completely agree with your point of how ideas can help us range from being a better worker to a better consumer. Even a better person by how we present ourselves on the online space. This is an important because the online space can be utilized for all facets of our life, and can prove to be very beneficial with the right intentions.
Similar to the entire class, I appreciate how you discussed the multitude of benefits the online space can provide. However, understanding the potential dangers is crucial to mention, You’re right, everything published on the internet is never truly gone after hitting the “Delete” button, that’s why individuals should be weary of what to post at all times.
Finally, you explained digital identity and how it can affect our image to the world. I also like how you tied that in with personal vs professional uses of the internet, and how it can be affected by both. Also, very good point about many services require people to have an online presence, but that these services allow us to share ideas, and become the best we can be through online applications.
Good work Allen!