Online Identity and Internet "Citizenship"

Photo by Daniel O' Connor
http://www.flickr.com/photos/clockwerx/9267076/sizes/m/in/photostream/

I have always been warned that not everyone on the internet is exactly the "truthful" type, especially whenever it comes to revealing their true identities. However, the articles "A Rape in Cyberspace" by Julian Dibbell and "The Sock Puppet Who Loved Me" by Bonnie Goldstein managed to put those warnings into perspective. In fact, after reading the articles, I feel a little more wary about trusting online identity presentation.

Fake online identities could be used anywhere, especially in social networking mediums such as Facebook, MySpace, and Match.com.  In the case of finding someone new online altogether, another account like the one mentioned in "The Sock Puppet Who Loved Me" could occur in which a fake persona could be created to harass someone. Also, a fake persona or someone who causes trouble online can be deleted, but a new IP address can be acquired, which would allow the person who was banned or deleted to return as a new user and return to their old ways again like in the case of "A Rape in Cyberspace" when Mr. Bungle was "toaded" (deleted) and returned as Dr. Jest (who acted in a similar manner).

Those who act in similar negative ways online like the above mentioned cases are not being ideal "online citizens." To me, an "online citizen" entitles others to have the same rights as they have in person in an online medium. Those who create fake accounts or manipulate online systems for gain are very much equivalent to citizens in reality who break the law, and can be punished by law in some areas like in the case of Lori Drew in "The Sock Puppet Who Loved Me." (Drew was not actually punished by law in the case, but a resolution was created that made "cyberstalking" a misdemeanor in the city limits where this occurred.)



A recent report on fake Facebook accounts.






Dibbell, Julian. "A Rape in Cyberspace." (1998): n. pag. Web. 8 Feb 2011. <http://www.juliandibbell.com/articles/a-rape-in-cyberspace/>.

Goldstein, Bonnie. "The Sock Puppet Who Loved Me." (2007): n. pag. Web. 8 Feb 2011. <http://www.slate.com/id/2178820/entry/2178821/>.