This started to make me think, if a man could pose as a woman in front of officers and not get discovered, then doing it online to a total stranger, behind their back must be a cake walk. (And yes I do realize its just a movie.) Wikipedia defines online identity as a social identity that network users establish in online communities. Now more than ever people are coming up with aliases to either conceal or reveal themselves in the online world. For many people their online reputation is as important or in extreme cases more important than their real life reputation.
People identify themselves online either through AIM or MSN with a screen name, just as I do. The name they chose can consist of numbers, letters or a combination of the both. When picking a screen name it is important to think about the people who are going to be talking, not just today but in the future. Your screen name is your first impression made on the Internet. Most people tend to choose a nick name they have had all their life or perhaps a hobby that they have, followed by some numbers, either their birth date or maybe their lucky number. Choosing the wrong name though can give predators the wrong idea, and really, who wants to be known of as SeXXXyMama69 or PimpDaDDyLuVa when their 30?
Keeping your identity safe can be tough when it is so easy for someone to create an account just like that. Say for instance you have a screen name in it with the letter "l" or the number one, with out any trouble a thief can make a name that emulates yours exactly. Take the name GoalieGirl, by replacing the number one for the letter l's the screen name is now being run by someone else but looks exactly that same as yours. Another thing thieves do is copy your font and the color or pick the same avatar as you. An avatar is a small icon-sized graphic image (Source). Just like that your reputation could be ruined and this person can say and whatever they want while posing as you.
As I mentioned an online identity that I am familiar with are screen names. I don't go on AIM much anymore so when people IM me they usually say "is that really you?", checking that I am who I say I am because they rarely see me online. If out of the blue they started seeing my screen name online 24/7 they would probably be a little suspicious and call me to see if it really was me online all day. Your reputation is based on the fact that you give out accurate information, and in return you expect the same from others. After a while of interaction has occurred and a feeling of reliability is placed on that person the trust can grow and so can that persons' reputation. Although it can take days, weeks, or even months to build to that level of trust, once it has been broken or damaged, it is almost impossible to gain that trust back again, no matter what length of time. "As users, our burden is one of trust, and there's little precedent for awarding it" (Source).
As I mentioned in my last blog I like using Firefox and would recommend other people use it above Internet Explorer or Netscape because when you are on a secure web site the address box turns yellow. That little option can save you a lot of hassle and help to further protect you identity online. People tend to trust web sites and to believe everything they read. If a web page looks good people may believe it is okay to give out a credit card number or their social security number, but in most cases this isn't a good idea. Fancy writing and animation can influence a persons better judgment into thinking it is a secure web site. "Three primary trust factors surfaced...good content, simple design and few grammatical errors. ...trusted web sites are content driven... (Source).
In the end you never really can tell who you are talking to, you can never be to safe when if comes to protecting your identity online. There's a good chance that you have or will have an encounter with some shady people online, and no I don't mean Slim Shady, I mean people who are out there for monetary gains, and they could care less who they hurt in the process.
