Identity

Overview
The World Wide Web is growing exponentially daily. With this developed Web, individuals create virtual identities, often referred to as avatars. On the Internet today, there is almost no way to prove the person you're communicating with is really who they're saying they are. Identity on the web is different from identity in real life. There is an "expanding freedom" and individuals are able to express themselves in a way that may not be possible in person. [4]

Authentic Identity
There are certain social networking sites that require 'authentic identity,' but that's only because a person's name and e-mail have to link together. "Facebook profiles and Google IDs are tied to a person's real name and real connections, and increasingly to their activities across cyberspace." [2] This does not mean that a person cannot create a fake e-mail to correspond to a fake identity.

Faking Identity
Many individuals take to 'faking' aspects of their identity, because the Internet can shield them from their real identity. There is an application available now called "" where users can upload an image of themselves, choose a background, and actually pretend as if they were in a certain location or place (i.e. faking a trip to Europe or a beach).

A level of anonymity is possible because individuals can create an identity that is not their own. "A social network's success need not rely upon this direct link between online and offline identity. In Japan, the three most popular social networks operate under the pseudonyms at the discretion of the account holder." [2]