com125: assignment 6 - online identity

In order to do just about anything on the internet, you’re required to have some sort of online identity. Varying from email, web forums, online games and many other types of online communities, your online identity lets other people know who you are. Generally we accept most people in online communities for who they say they are, there are certainly times when people can and do create false identities for varying reasons.
An online identity which I own is my online ‘’name,’’ soopa7fly. I use this name for most things I am active with on the internet. I use it in online multiplayer games, web forums, and instant messaging screen names. Of those three, the place where I most frequently use this identity is web forums.
There are two web forums that I frequent the most. www.offtopic.com and also www.nyspeed.com/forums/ I have described offtopic.com in a previous blog, but it is essentially a worldwide web forum of varying topics. Nyspeed.com is a local Western NY web forum devoted to cars and trucks which includes modifying them, as well as racing or off-roading. In addition, there is a part of the forum for general conversation, and an area to set up meetings with members just to hang out.
Establishing a reputation with my identity was different for each forum. With the local forum it was very easy because you have many opportunities to meet the other members in person, so their impressions of you in real life carry over to your online identity. That way, when you make a thread or a post in someone else’s thread, you are recognized by people you know, thus showing you have credibility. With the other forum it is much more difficult. Because there are so many total members, and so few that could be in your particular physical area, you will not likely ever have the ability to earn online credentials through meeting people in person. Even if there were some members locally, the forum is so large that you may never even see any of their posts. You have to earn credibility solely through your posts and how other members view them.
On offtopic, I feel as though I have a reputation for being funny yet also serious. Meaning, if a member is looking for serious advice, I am more than happy to reply with a serious answer even if other members do not (which is fairly frequent.) Often times the forum has many threads with jokes or non-serious topics. Because I know I typically have a lot of funny one-liners I try to reply in those topics as well. Because of this sort of balance, I feel like people accept and listen to what I have to say when I’m being serious, and they enjoy my humor when I’m joking around.
As far as identity theft, I’m not a major player on either of these forums so I don’t know why anyone would want to try and be me. However, it could always be a possibility. I don’t think it would work on a local forum only because most of us are familiar with each other and the way we interact and post. On offtopic it would probably be as easy as creating a similar screen name, maybe even only adding a space to the name or an insignificant character. Also, as previously mentioned, it would likely be very easy to impersonate someone because of the sheer number of members. Because most of the members have probably never even heard of me, or seen my posts, it would be very easy to assume my identity.
Having a reputable online identity is very rewarding. While it doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things what most people think of you (especially those you’ll never meet,) it is nice to know that people respect what you say and take you seriously.