Now that digital technology has become a part of every aspect of life, people’s identities are also being formed online. A personalized learning network (PLN) is made up of people, devices, and services that a person can shape for their own learning goals (Futrue Learn, nd). When a person works through this, they will create a digital identity along with their own real identity. It is considered their “footprint on the web” (Stoller, 2016). In looking at my own digital identity, I can see that my controlled social media presence is mostly on Facebook and WeChat. My uncontrolled social media presence is focused in areas that are person to person instead of being social media platforms, such as WeChat threads and in email. I also sometimes post on forums but this is done through an anonymous handle so that it is not part of my digital identity that can be seen through a footprint on the web.

             One of the things I have thought about as I did the readings was about the inability to really control the digital identity. For example, Danah Boyd wrote about how people have given up on controlling their digital identity (Boyd, 2012). Even when people try to avoid being on social media or getting people to see certain things, there are still algorithms that are part of the platforms, which involves targeting people and their data so that they can sell that information to advertisers. It seems with the current structure that is part of the social media platforms do not really offer protections for people. When I think about this in an educational context, I think it is up to the educational institutions to build their own structures to make sure that the students feel protected. I also think it is important for instructors to use platforms that protect privacy, and to give instructions to students on where things will be seen. 

References

Boyd, D. (2012) Networked Privacy. Surveillance & Society, 10 (3/4) 348 – 350.

Future Learn (nd) “What is a Personalized Learning Network?” Future Learn. https://www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/learning-network-age/0/steps/24644

Stoller, E. (2016) “What is Digital Identity?” YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0RryRbJza0&t=43s