1. What does it mean to network using social media?
   

Social media today has become a large factor of how we communicate with others. Social media allows for us to effectively share our ideas, thoughts and opinions online for others to comment, repost and like. Networking with social media can come in many forms such as posting, messaging and live streaming. Social media is even used to network in professional settings with platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Discord and Slack. These array of platforms is the fastest best means to communicate whether it is for a social or business purpose.

2. How are we motivated to participate in networked publics?

We are inclined to participate in networked publics because they allow us to gather for social, cultural, and civic purposes and help us connect with people that are not just our family and friends. People are motivated to use these networked publics because it is a quick and easy way to bounce ideas, share opinions and learn by exchanging information. Good examples of networked publics are public Facebook groups or Discord servers where people can openly join then express their ideas in a shared space. Another reason these networked publics are so popular is because it is easy to find people with similar ideas, beliefs or interests by just joining a group of that topic.

3. What are the risks & rewards of public communications?

Public communications come with large risks and rewards for the user. Public communications can have a positive impact by enhancing our communication by increasing the speed and negating many communication barriers. Though these same communications can make it so “our data also provides a probabilistic image of who we are based on comparisons to other people.”(Boyd 2012). Another risk to public communications is privacy as once photos and text are online they are hard to permanently erase from the online world. Public communications and social media can also make the users addicted. Social media has another form of risk where the social media platforms collect your data and can sell it or send you advertisements depending on what you like to see. The rewards of public communications are plentiful as there is no comparable learning, connecting and networking platform available.

References:

Boyd, D. (2012). Networked Privacy. Vol. 10 No. 3/4 (2012): Open Issue. https://doi.org/10.24908/ss.v10i3/4.4529

What is Digital Identity?

Digital identity is just like any other identity where it is just a representation of a person’s real self. Digital identity differs from ordinary identity because it is a person’s identity that is only online. In simpler terms, digital identity is just the way that we present ourselves on the internet to others by expressing our interests and by our actions.

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

Similar to how we live our everyday lives, we have a different filter for when we are living our personal lives versus when we are in a professional setting. This is the same for people in an online setting. When using online social media platforms for personal use, we often share the activities we do on a free time, share our every day thoughts and just update friends and family on our lives that we are living. When using social media in a professional setting we often make sure that we are sharing ideas and thoughts that are appropriate to the room and ensure that we are being overall just more careful of what we say as it is a professional setting. Nowadays, different social media apps allow us to use them in whatever case it may be as apps like LinkedIn give off a much more professional setting as compared to apps like Snapchat or BeReal. Other apps are commonly used in both areas like Facebook and Instagram where companies can have social media platforms to advertise and build awareness or people have personal accounts where they share their lives.

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

In networked publics, someones digital identity can be very different than their actual identity in real life. Some benefits can be that introverts can be able to freely express their thoughts and opinions without feeling the pressure of a face to face conversation. However, this also has its downsides as there can be social media trolls that can spread misinformation, create debates and harass different individuals. This digital identity can cover allow them to do whatever they want much easier without having to suffer the same repercussions in the real world.

References:

“What Is a Digital Identity?” YouTube, YouTube, 25 June 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJzuDcyR0WM.