Public Communications and Digital Identity

Photo by Rodion Kutsaiev on Unsplash

What does it mean to network using social media?

Rajagopal and colleagues define professional networking as “the act of making connections with other professionals, with or without the intention of making long-term ties with them” (2012). To me, networking with social media involves evaluating what type of work I do, as well as what type of work others do, and introspecting on how we could help one another with future projects. I find myself rarely using social media to network, simply because I haven’t had enough professional experience with how I should be presenting myself and reaching out to others online.

How are we motivated to participate in networked publics?

Photo by Mariia Shalabaieva on Unsplash

My motivation to participate in networked publics is almost solely because I don’t have another choice if I want to use social media. I feel a need to stay on social media because if I don’t, I’ll miss out on current events, and feel left out of what my friends and family are doing. By agreeing to use a platform, I inevitably must also agree to the terms and conditions that the platform has, which includes how they use my data. I find myself becoming more and more aware of this with my own social media usage, where I find that algorithms are definitely picking up on things that I look up on search engines, talk about with my friends, or places that I visit. This leads to my social media feeds becoming more and more personalized, where I’m constantly being shown posts that echo my own beliefs.

What is a digital identity?

To me, a digital identity is the sum of all the things you create, share, and interact with online. This could include social media profiles and posts, but it could also include the things you search for, the streaming services you use to consume media or sports, and even the news you consume and share. I think that all of these things are interconnected and together they build up one’s digital identity.

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

Personal Approaches	Professional Approaches
– Platforms aimed more at professional networking or recruiting (i.e. Linkedin, Indeed, etc.) – Tendency to use more formal tones in writing, showcase one’s strengths and competencies to potential employers/employees	– Platforms aimed more at personal connections and consuming media (i.e. Instagram, YouTube, TikTok) – Tendency to use less formal writing style, showcase one’s experiences and memories to friends and family

Personal versus professional approaches make for some interesting dynamics when thinking about how they affect social media use and digital identity. When I think of a personal approach to digital identity, I think about the platforms that I use in my everyday life, whether it’s something like Instagram or Snapchat for communicating with people I know, or consuming news, sports and other media on YouTube, Spotify or Netflix. While I’m on these platforms, I’m not usually someone who creates posts; most of my time is spent talking to people or scrolling through posts that others have made. I find that most people, including myself, post “highlights” of their lives, in the sense that we are attempting to show the most exciting experiences and memories that we have. For example, the only post on my Instagram page is my high school graduation, and the next post will most likely be pictures from my undergraduate convocation.

Conversely, a professional approach might entail platforms that are used more for networking and job recruitment in the workplace, such as Linkedin or Indeed. A professional approach to digital identity is something that I should think more about in my everyday life. Instead, it’s something that feels important only when it needs to be updated. For example, I update my resume to include any new jobs or volunteer opportunities, but this doesn’t happen too often, giving me less of a reason to think about my professional digital identity in day-to-day life. When I do use social media for professional purposes, I tend to write more formally, highlighting skills, experience and competencies that I would want potential employers or graduate school application reviewers to see.