Online Identity : Is this who you are?
Online Identity : Is this who you are?
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The world has never been so connected as it is now, thanks to the digital revolution. Today, everyone has an email address and enjoys indulging in social networking. It helps us stay in touch with friends and family. But do you also use it as a way to flaunt yourself? Do you feel proud when you get 100 likes for flaunting yourself through your posts or online presence? If so, you're welcome to continue—after all, it's your life, and you're the one who decides what's right or wrong. But does it really matter to anyone? Who cares about the outlaws in the digital world? We are immune to stalking and bullying, aren't we?
Shania and Rushail also thought the same way. They never believed in following rules and continued enjoying themselves, even if it offended someone. They had been good students with a passion for fun. For them, fun meant sharing their lifestyle daily, including their relationship status and even bad-mouthing their exes. When they sent messages, they often included a few curse words, thinking it was trendy. Life was fun for them. Even though their family and friends objected to their behavior, they considered them outdated. They believed that one should live life on their own terms, irrespective of others' opinions.
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After finishing their course, Shania and Rushail applied for jobs and were lucky enough to be shortlisted by a few companies. One of the employers was their personal favorite. They had heard that the company paid extremely well. They worked hard to prepare for the interview, but they were surprised when the form they were asked to fill out included a request for their social media IDs. They wondered why the employer would need this information.
Welcome to the world of digital citizenship. You are a brand here, and what you create of that brand is entirely in your hands—just like in the real world. Though you enjoy living life on your terms, don't forget that you're part of a society with certain moral expectations. That's why we have laws to maintain order in the real world. With people sharing nearly everything about themselves on public social networking sites, employers now have an easy way to form impressions of prospective employees based on their online presence. These expectations may vary from company to company, but your grammar, spelling, language, messages, uploaded pictures, and overall use of the platform can all be assessed by an employer—or anyone who wants to judge you before getting associated with you.
It's not the number of followers, friends, or likes that matters. What counts is the quality of your interactions, your purpose, and your communication online. You might delete a post to clean up your image, but what if someone shared it or took a screenshot? It will still be out there. This is how you create your digital footprints. So, don't be careless with your online reputation; it's just as precious as your reputation in the real world. Think before you like, share, comment, post, or accept friend requests.
If you think you can create a fake identity and lead a double life online, think again. With laws being more stringent against cyberbullying, there’s no way to escape. Sections 66A, 66C, 66E, 67, 67A, and 67B of the IT Act 2000 prescribe penalties for publishing offensive or threatening information, using someone else's password, publishing private or obscene images, sharing sexual content, or predating children online.
Be wise—digital spaces demand the same moral values that you expect in the real world. Be empathetic, but also be alert. You might be befriending an online predator. Don't fall for flattery, and never share your personal details, pictures, or whereabouts online. After all, it’s your life, and you don’t need "likes" and "shares" to prove your worth.
As the Sanskrit quote "धर्मेण नय वा आचरणे" (Dharmena naya vā ācaraṇe) reminds us, "Act in accordance with righteousness in both your actions and behavior." In both the real and digital world, let integrity guide your interactions and choices.
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