Identity will be the most valuable commodity for citizens in the future, and it will exist primarily online
— Eric Schmidt
Identity is our most valuable asset. Today, we will explore the fascinating relationship between physical identity and digital identity.
On the Internet, we have the freedom to be whoever we want to be, to experiment with different masks, and to understand our multiple personalities. The digital world presents itself as a way of experimentation, where each user can explore different identities and learn more about themselves in the process.
The possibility of experimenting with your identity is one of the reasons that keep people hooked on these digital universes...
Emergence of Identities and Digital Avatars
Since the early days of the Internet, we have represented our digital identity through nicknames and avatars.
The flexibility and mutability of the digital identity allow users to explore different aspects of themselves without the restrictions that reality imposes.
Unlike physical identities, where altering your appearance is limited, in the digital world, we users have the freedom to modify our characters and personalities.
The purpose of creating virtual experiences and worlds is to design an enhanced reality:
In the real world, people are often judged by various factors such as appearance, accent, or social status.
Virtual spaces offer a unique opportunity to reinvent oneself, experiment, and ultimately be more authentic versions of themselves.
Digital Identity is Reality
Anime and manga enthusiasts, known as otaku, create fictional worlds where their characters exist.
These worlds reflect values, standards, and norms that they find insufficient in the real world. Otaku intentionally prefer these fictional worlds over reality, as they align more closely with their own identity.
The pandemic has exacerbated the attraction to the digital, especially among teenagers. These virtual spaces provide a refuge for identity experimentation, allowing young people to escape the limitations of the real world.
Digital identity allows you to remove labels such as race, gender, or social status. The Internet allows users to be whoever they want without imposing specific roles.
Explosion of Multiple Identities
On social networks, people have the opportunity to adapt different characters and personalities. Although these characters may differ, there is a fundamental core that informs all aspects of an individual's identity.
On the Internet, your actions define your identity. The credentials of each identity are earned through personal achievements and influence on others, thus establishing a framework of trust and competence.
It's important for us users to own our identity. It's also important that multiple actors have access to verify and issue new trust credentials without revealing unnecessary private information.
Digital identity can help individuals develop by exploring different aspects of themselves.
Over time, the role we play in a virtual context can integrate into our identity. This interaction can be liberating or problematic, depending on the context. The extent to which virtual personifications influence behavior in the real world is still uncertain and can vary from person to person.
Conclusion
In this digital age, identity management requires a shift in focus towards reputation and credentials, moving away from traditional physical and governmental identity schemes.
Digital identity not only offers us an escape from limited reality but also a mirror to better understand who we are.
As we continue to explore these identities, we also embark on a journey towards self-discovery and the construction of a more authentic identity💚