Month: September 2020 (page 1 of 1)

What is a digital identity?

Digital identity is your presence on the internet, whether that be the things you have shared, posted, searched, and the tools you used to engage with others (University of Derby, 2016). In other words, it represents everything you do on the web, and once your digital identity has been created, it will always live online and can be searchable by potential employers for any information (2016).

How do personal versus professional approaches to digital identity affect social media use?

A personal digital identity is used on social media for spending leisure time on the apps you enjoy most, such as connecting with family and friends, posting pictures about something you did on the weekend, scrolling through multiple food and nutrition accounts, etc. With a personal digital identity on social media, it is much easier for people to potentially post inappropriate or offensive content that they may have not thought about twice before sharing to the whole world. A professional digital identity is used on social media for showcasing one’s literature work, networking with different companies and people, opening yourself up to potential job opportunities, and learning valuable skills that can be utilized in many different careers. Individual’s who have professional digital identities are more careful and aware of what they post, share, like, etc., because prospective employers may do a quick search to see what your digital footprints on the web are.

How do digital identities converge in networked publics – what are the impacts and/or benefits?

Digital identities are what make up networked publics. For example Facebook is one of the most popular network publics in the world and everyone who creates an account with Facebook, automatically creates a digital identity. Once an individual’s digital identity is constructed, it is permanently living on networked publics on the web. A huge impact is the possibility of future employers discovering something offensive or inappropriate that the individual may have forgotten they posted, ultimately jeopardizing their career and job search.

References

University of Derby. (2016, November 25) Eric Stoller – What is Digital Identity? [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0RryRbJza0&feature=youtu.be

What does it mean to network using social media?

Social networking is the utilization of Internet-based social media platforms in order to keep in touch and stay connected with family, friends, colleagues, clients, or customers as well as expanding one’s social contacts (Kenton, 2020). Such networking sites include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Linkedin (2020). Social networking has two main objectives, either a social purpose, a business/professional purpose, or the both combined (2020).

How do people learn & engage using mediated platforms?

It is found that there are many learning benefits to social media that can promote positive and useful activities in communities (Howell, 2019). Social media has an empowering effect on everyone including students, teachers, and parents (2019). For example, students utilize social media to find information, promote positivity and awareness, share useful insight and collaborate remotely with others on projects (2019). It is so easy nowadays to just pull out your phone and search up any concept that you may want to learn more about or understand better for an upcoming exam (2019). In addition, social media provides plenty of online information which often individuals are more drawn to read and have quicker access to news articles, ebooks, podcasts that can be listened on the go (2019). There are many distance learning opportunities with social media for students, especially during this uncertain time everyone is going through (2019). Teachers are able to host live lectures via zoom and provide online tools for supporting students (2019).

How are we motivated to participate in networked publics?

Today, both social media and technology have become an indispensable part of our lives. One study aimed to examine motivations to use social media among university students and found that social gratification – ability to keep in touch with family and friends, meeting like minded individuals, social networking – and communication gratification – individual’s capacity to control their communication and establish new contacts on a site – were among the two highest factors of motivation (Al-Menayes, 2015). Based on the factor analysis conducted in the study, five dimensions of motivations emerged: information seeking, entertainment, convenience, altruism and personal utility (2015).

What are the risks & rewards of public communications?

Professional networking has been shown to provide various benefits to individuals and the organization such as, supporting the success and growth of a professionals’ career, the ability to find relevant, constant support when it is needed, increasing innovation and group formation, and continually support individuals’ learning (Rajagopal, et al., 2011). On the other hand, the risks of public communication include phishing, identify theft, viruses, social engineering, and poor internet connection (Poremba, 2019).

References

Howell, R. D. (2019). How Can Social Media Help Education?. Psycherg. Retrieved September 18, 2020 from https://www.psychreg.org/social-media-education/

Kenton, W. (2020). Social Networking. Investopedia. Retrieved September 18, 2020 from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/social-networking.asp#:~:text=Social%20networking%20is%20the%20use,%2C%20and%20Instagram%2C%20among%20others.

Al-Menayes, J.J. (2015). Motivations for Using Social Media: An Exploratory Factor Analysis. International Journal of Psychological Studies. 7(1). doi:10.5539/ijps.v7n1p43.

Poremba, S. (2019). The Cyber-Risk Paradox: Benefits of New Technologies Bring Hidden Security Risks. Security Boulevard. Retrieved September 18, 2020 from https://securityboulevard.com/2019/02/the-cyber-risk-paradox-benefits-of-new-technologies-bring-hidden-security-risks/

Rajagopal, K., Brinke, J. D., Bruggen, V. J., & Sloep, B. P. (2011). Understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use them. First Monday. 17(1). doi:10.5210/fm.v17il.3559.