Online identity

Draft

According to Wikipedia (retrieved 12:19, 12 April 2007 (MEST) and with original links): {{quotation |

An online identity is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_identity" title="Social identity">social identity</a> that network users establish in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_communities" title="Online communities">online communities</a>. Although some people prefer to use their <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_name" title="Real name">real names</a> online, most Internet users prefer to identify themselves by means of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudonym" title="Pseudonym">pseudonyms</a>, which reveal varying amounts of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personally_identifiable_information" title="Personally identifiable information">personally identifiable information</a>. In some online <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Contextual_Identity&action=edit" class="new" title="Contextual Identity">contexts</a>, including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_forum" title="Internet forum">Internet forums</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUD" title="MUD">MUDs</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant_messaging" title="Instant messaging">instant messaging</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massively_multiplayer_online_game" title="Massively multiplayer online game">massively multiplayer online games</a>, users can represent themselves visually by choosing an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar" title="Avatar">avatar</a>, an icon-sized graphic image. As other users interact with an established online identity, it acquires a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reputation" title="Reputation">reputation</a>, which enables them to decide whether the identity is worthy of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trust_%28sociology%29" title="Trust (sociology)">trust</a>.

Definition

• User names on websites, some with graphical representations
• Avatars in virtual worlds (text, 2D, 3D).
• Descriptions (forms) that describe a user
• Portfolios (what a person did contribute)