Identity sounds like a philosophical word. In digital world, it can be how we would represent us through information we like, or contents we share. Though the social networks can’t represent the whole real world, it shows some parts of us in some degree. According to authors Wängqvist & Frisén (2016), online contexts have critical meaning for adolescent’s identity development. Many adolescents are experience stresses in real world, and online environment provides them a place that is without the constraints of time and physical distance. They feel easier to express and explore themselves online. Another important way that online contexts are meaningful to adolescent is deindividuation. Online behaviors can be hide and also be seen, and anonymity brings more possibilities. Their self-presentations may be greater than in offline contexts. Also, increased social interactions encourage them to create digital identity to fit in group identifications. However, things become different towards adults. Because adults have less time spending on social networks, and they also have developed more certain identity while growing up.
Social networks can also impact learning through digital identity formation. For social learning, individuals need to construct social networks to communicate with others. Online communities can be developed to educational environment, because young people spend lots of time on online activities, so even social media can lead them to positive learning experience, because social media have strong information-sharing feature. Learning involves input and output which are require intense interactions with others. Social network is a collection of individuals with different interests linked together. From my own experience, I like to read blogs of many child educators and enjoy learning from their stories. It helps me to strengthen my cognitions and broadens my professional knowledge.
Healthy habits and safe environment are always the concerns after we decide to build connections and identity in social networks. In Alec Couros’ TEDtalk, he throws a meaningful question: how to bring kids to the particular space to see the affordances of these new technology. I think that preparing children to have right habits of surfing online is necessary and letting them know responsibilities and mutual respect is also important. Cyber safety is the problem that young-age internet users have to face. Making restraints on age of certain contents, and strengthening the inspection of users’ activities are helpful.
In every year, there are so many new social media coming up and change our lifestyle. The environment of social networks has many possibilities. Besides what we all like to do, such as exploration, communication, and presentation, one key point that we need to maintain is respect others’ identity. Stopping cyber bulling and creating safe cyber environment are our responsibility for long-term digital livings.
