Synthesis 2

Are people different online than they are offline? That seems like it should have a simple answer, but in today’s world it doesn’t. I found it interesting in the readings David gave my class Identity and Deception in the Virtual Community that what can be found in the offline world is found in the online world. Take a look at trolls, identity lying, identity of people by voice and language (or actions), etc. I was particularly interested in the section on trolls. In the example of someone on a community who started out being nice and following the rules suddenly turned on others and their posts. Was she (Ultimatego) a troll or just that way? The various reactions to Ultimatego ‘s malicious postings and know-it-all attitude were not far from what you’d see in the offline world as well. The range was from people who totally ignored her to those that would lash back. So why would anyone want to have two identities (an online and an offline)? There is always a chance that you can meet an online personality offline. Isn’t that deception? People are prosecuted by the law in the offline world for deception, and that is picking up in the online world as people start breaking the law and can be traced

One thing I have seen with that is identity theft. Hack into someone’s computer, add spyware, add bots, or send them a fake email saying they need to change something in their bank account, paypal, or ebay profile. Really anything that gets a user to go into a record where there is financial or identity information that can be stolen. Actually, I received one of those today on my email. ‘Update you paypal information, it is old’ is basically what it said. Yeah right, like I’m going to click on your link and do it from there. Besides, most credible places will address you by your first and last name (which this email did not). Is there anyway to know that someone can be trusted? Well, in online communities that usually comes with time and good responses. In a business, that comes with honest dealings. So trust and identity then become related. Back to my example of the update email, I can trust the paypal identity as long as I know it really comes from them. So, they have specified on their site what emails from them I can trust.

In the example given by Judith Donath in paper mentioned above, Ultimatego’s postings could have been trusted if she continued to be helpful and nice. She had handed out some great information and advice and was on her way to becoming trusted and having a good reputation, but then turned on the group. People respect good cooperation and she lost that. Her trust level was building even though her identity was unknown. Too bad she ruined that. This situation can be applied to many areas online (and offline for that). Since she was gaining trust and being respected, she needed to live up to the trust the community had in her. Her accountability for breaking that trust really ruined things because she had been trusted previously. Once trust is built and established, when that is broken the accountability stakes are high. Don’t people rant and rave when a trusted accountant runs off with money? There’s accountability in all aspects of communication and cooperation. It’s really the same concept of lying or being honest. You are accountable for your actions, so make sure you stay true to what you say and do and be honest in all those dealings. Too bad there are a lot of people who don’t live up to that “Golden Rule”.

Comments

Heather said…
David, social lying shouldn't be punished by law. It is the concept of where that lie could go.
8:41 AM
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