Image 1: Mark Zuckerberg. June 5, 2016.
The concept of true, unadulterated and authentic identity is inherently flawed in the simple fact that all forms of expression are flawed. Whether it be verbal or written language, expression through body language or through subconsciously used social cues, none of these can perfectly capture and express human emotion.
However, I have observed that the further people get from situations in which they may feel repercussions for their actions, the closer they get to "true" expression of their thoughts. Zuckerberg says that Facebook gives a method through which true, authentic expression is achieved (McNeill, 2012). However, I vehemently disagree. Facebook is probably the social network most closely linked with your real-world persona. When Zuckerberg says that those who are not authentic on Facebook are frauds, I would argue that everybody is a fraud by his definition, filtering their opinions and beliefs for social acceptance.
Reddit is closer to an authentic online identity. A Reddit account has no inherent ties to your real world identity, and as such users are more likely to truly express themselves without fear of repercussion in their social sphere. However, this is still imperfect.
As you spend more time in this space, and develop rapport with those that you interact with, you will eventually develop an online persona that you will manage in a similar manner to your real-world persona, attempting to maintain those relationships you create with other users by continuing to keep your persona the same, for fear of losing the rapport you build and being excluded.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is 4chan, a site on which there are no logins, and no identities. You simply post as an anonymous user, and nobody else has any way to know where else you have posted, and what else you have said. They must simply take you at face value, which creates some interesting social dynamics, and an insight into what the people you interact with on a daily basis might really think.
References:
Kuttainen, V. (2016). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, Narratives and the Making of Place, week 6 notes (PowerPoint Slides). Retrieved from https://learnjcu.jcu.edu.au/
Mark Zuckerberg. [image]. (2016). Retrieved from
http://fullhdpictures.com/mark-zuckerberg-hq-images.html
McNeill, L., 2012, There Is No "I" in Network: Social Networking Sites and Posthuman
Auto/Biography, University of Hawaii Press, pp. 68
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