What is digital identity?

Digital identity is essentially the image which you (the user) portrays yourself as on the internet. It takes the various parts of what we say or do on the web, and intertwines itself into a big web which ultimately presents as one’s digital identity. 

How do you present yourself on social media platforms for personal use? What kind of content do you share, and how do you manage your privacy?

As mentioned in my blog post last week, a major part of my life comes with my love for music production. In the past, my presentation of myself on the internet was more prevalent and lighthearted, however, throughout the years I’ve shied away from a loud image. I now keep a relatively quiet approach to my social media presence and share posts/works of close friends and family. 

I’ve dabbled in most forms of content, both short and long form. Though I don’t consider myself a content creator, I have shared content in multiple mediums and forms. 

Managing my privacy is one of the things I tend to overlook as while I should value my privacy, I don’t take that many steps to do so. As mentioned in this video in this week’s resources, I was reminded to practice regular reviews and acknowledge privacy in order to separate my personal and professional life. 

What steps do you take to maintain a professional image online? How do personal versus professional approaches to digital identity affect social media use?

 A major factor I consider when maintaining a professional image online is based on my target audience. For example, things I would want to share with close friends and family would be on a private social network and may present itself as more lighthearted. Whereas a post to the public would present itself formally and would be engaged with in a thought out manner. Separating the two parts of my digital identity comes a little more tricky as my value in certain social media platforms may differ from my peers. An example of this would be my use of Instagram. While I do post here and there about my life, my main purpose of using Instagram is a networking tool rather than a recreational one.

Reflect on the challenges and benefits of maintaining personal and professional digital identities. How do you ensure they complement rather than conflict with one another? Provide examples from your own experiences.

I remember years ago, producer Rio Leyva spoke against using an alias as it acts sort of as a wall between your and your audience. He goes on to say that using your actual name as your brand comes with a plethora of benefits as peers in your circle would gear towards working with you due to a more personalized experience. I enjoyed hearing about this principle and found myself applying it to my own social media experience, as now instead of being two separate entities, people will know me as Alex or AV (my initials) and resonate with the fact I am presenting myself as an authentic person!

Looking ahead, how do you plan to manage your digital identity as social media continues to evolve? What steps will you take to adapt to new platforms and trends while maintaining a consistent and positive digital presence?

Personally, I think the part I find the most challenging is creating a balance between the two approaches to digital identity. While I do have accounts on most commonly used social media networks, sometimes the line between the two personas blend. One thing I want to keep in mind for the future is separating the various parts of my digital identity and using each other as a pathway to creating a positive presence within each respective space.