Who are you? Part I: More than Data

With the advent of social networking (Facebook being the obvious choice for an example) we are all becoming increasingly aware of our “online identity”. We are encouraged by sites to use our real names and to share as much information as possible about ourselves.

Most of those who voice concern about this trend take issue with the simple volume of information which is available about us. The majority shrug this off as alarmism since they are honest, decent people with nothing to hide. So what if people know your favourite colour, your birthday or your pet’s name? It’s not like you’re using any of those as passwords, right? (If you are, please go change that now - this blog post will still be here when you get back).

The problem with the "too much information" argument is that, while it's a valid discussion, it's not the only discussion.

Let’s imagine a Facebook user, we’ll call him Travis. Let’s assume, for the time being, that all of that information Travis posts about himself is as innocuous as he believes. Travis posts only factual information and fills out his profile in full. He is a little bit cautious, so he only shares his full profile with his Friends. What’s wrong with that?

According to Christopher Poole, founder of 4chan, the issue is that this profile, though factual, is not who Travis really is. Poole suggests that this unified, “consolidated” identity does not honestly reflect who you are. Your grandmother and your girlfriend may both be in your Friends list, but are you the same person with both of these people?

It’s not so much a question of integrity but a question of context. Travis’s coworkers, his family members, his friends from university - they all know a different person. A comment Travis makes on his status - or one that is posted on his wall by a Friend - may contain meaning only discernible to those who know him in a particular context. Worse, it may appear to contain meaning that does not accurately reflect Travis at all if you don’t understand that context.

You’re left trying to manage an online identity which takes a 3-dimensional person and reduces you to a data set. This is a goldmine for marketers but is it an honest reflection of who you are?

There’s an interesting discussion between Poole and Tim O’Reilly (of the O’Reilly publishing empire) posted on TechCrunch. If you’re interested in the idea of online identity it’s worth checking out.

One of the more significant points made, I think, is that the “anonymity” ship has sailed. You have, or soon will have, an online identity. The technology is evolving so rapidly that there will be few ways the average person can be anonymous. The question now is how you choose to manage your identity - something you may well ask yourself before posting that next status update.