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Concept
Online identity
Summary
Internet identity (IID), also online identity, online personality or internet persona, is a social identity that an Internet user establishes in online communities and websites. It may also be an actively constructed presentation of oneself. Although some people choose to use their real names online, some Internet users prefer to be anonymous, identifying themselves by means of pseudonyms, which reveal varying amounts of personally identifiable information. An online identity may even be determined by a user's relationship to a certain social group they are a part of online. Some can be deceptive about their identity.
In some online contexts, including Internet forums, online chats, and massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), users can represent themselves visually by choosing an avatar, an icon-sized graphic image. Avatars are one way users express their online identity. Through interaction with other users, an established online identity acquires a reputation, which enables other users to decide whether the identity is worthy of trust. Online identities are associated with users through authentication, which typically requires registration and logging in. Some websites also use the user's IP address or tracking cookies to identify users.
The concept of the self, and how this is influenced by emerging technologies, are a subject of research in fields such as education, psychology, and sociology. The online disinhibition effect is a notable example, referring to a concept of unwise and uninhibited behavior on the Internet, arising as a result of anonymity and audience gratification.
Online identity management and Impression management
The social web, i.e. the usage of the web to support the social process, represents a space in which people have the possibility to express and expose their identity in a social context.
For example, people define their identity explicitly by creating s in social network services such as Facebook or LinkedIn and online dating services.
Official source
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