The previous chapter has shown the depth and breadth of current research into Social Media and how it is used. From this we can see the different ways that individuals are using the technologies, the results of this and some of the issues. There has been a fundamental shift in the way that people communicate and share information. Previous research has established that this process was occurring but little information has been written around how this change in sharing of personal information affects the online identity of the individual. There were anecdotal
references to people pretending to be others and studies from the pre-Social Media days of the Internet, but are people really misrepresenting themselves online to the extent that popular media insinuates? Naturally questions then arise around what information people are sharing, the manner in which they are sharing, whether they feel concerned about any content or if they are aware of their audiences. From the above discussion we can see some common threads in the ideas of identity and how it is built. The underlying premise of this research is whether individuals form their Digital Identity in the same way they do offline.
An opportunity exists to remove a current gap in the research by establishing the extent to which membership of a group influences the information shared online. This chapter has established the importance of Role in determining the identity of an individual. In this research roles are a determining factor in the way that the research is approached. This research will access the impact that primary roles have on the establishment of a Digital Identity. Therefore different groups were established and investigated that related directly to the salient role of the individual. The publication of information by individuals about themselves online allows for feedback on how an individual sits within that social group. It is the comparison between these groups and how they approach Identity formation online that is at the core of this research. The three groups chosen for this research are Academics, Stay-at-home Parents and Business Executives.
This study will investigate the way in which individuals use Facebook and/or Twitter to build their Digital Identity and will define the extent to which the identity that we create in the real world is reflected in the identity that we create on these applications. Identity is a social construct and therefore this study will use a group context to set apart the different social identities created by an individual. Through the interaction online between the shared personal information and friends and followers another layer of identity may be formed. In the context of digital information the way that individuals presents themselves is linked to the way they wish to be perceived. This study will investigate the extent to which individuals do this consciously, or without thought, taking the ideas of Goffman’s self presentation and linking them to the idea of self from Identity Theory.
3.10 Research Question
By identifying how individuals form identity offline we are able to set a foundation for this investigation. The literature is rich with examples of teenagers and young adults therefore this investigation will focus on adults over the age of 30. Therefore, in the context of the three groups, Academics, Stay-at-home Parents and Business Executives, this research will investigate the presentation of self online. The research question is: Do individuals construct their identity in the same way in a digital context as they do in the ‘real world’?
The overall focus of this research is observations of Digital Identity on Facebook and Twitter, with a view to working towards a Theory of Digital Identity. The two Literature review chapters have established the theoretical and technological background of this study by investigating Social Media, Identity theories and Digital Identity. This has culminated in the identification of a research question. The next chapter will discuss the methodology used to investigate this question.
Chapter Four: Research Methodology, Research Design and Data Generation
4.1 Introduction
The previous chapter established the current literature on Social Media and Digital Identity.
While this illustrates the work that is currently published, it highlights the infancy of this area of investigation. We have hardly begun to understand the influences and risks that are attached to sharing personal information on Social Network Sites, and it warrants further investigation. This chapter outlines the justification for the selection of the research methodology including research paradigm, research approach, research strategy, data generation techniques and analysis processes.
Keen (1987, p. 3) argues that the mission of Information Systems research is to study ‘the effective design, delivery, use and impact of Information technologies in organizations and society’. Since the time of Keen there have been a number of developments in the field with the
‘softer human, social and organizational issues’ (Avison & Myers 1995, p. 44) becoming part of the discipline. The researcher believes that you cannot overlook the importance of the user in the investigation of Information Systems. By investigating how individuals use and relate to technology we are able to have a clearer understanding of systems and their place in society.