Information Society - Effect on Identity

===Definition===

Identity is the collective set of characteristics by which a person is known - and causes the person to be regarded as an individual entity. (Fairlex, 2005, Identity)

The Information Society is a term used to describe a society in which the creation, distribution, and manipulation of information has become the most significant social dynamic.

As such when defining the effect of the Information Society on identity one must consider the effects of the ability to create, distribute, manipulate and form personal identity via communication technologies.

===The effect of the Information Society===

In the book 'Voices form the Net' Shriky outlines how one of the main Information Society facilitators - the internet - may affect the identity of the individual:

• "On the net there is no physical person, so identity can become completely fractured." (Shirky, 1995 P.36)
  

• The net provides individuals with a forum/environment in which they are able to experiment with their own identity by offering a place in which all individuals may be faceless and construct other people’s perception of themselves by written communications alone. (Shirky, 1995 P.38)
  

• When discussing the culture of Internet Relay Chat Shirky quotes Reid who sated "Within its domain people are free to experiment with different forms of communication and self-representation."
  

===Formation of Identity===

Via an on-line or other information setting people may define their identities in a number of ways including:

1) Gainning a sense of self and heritage through genealogical research.
2) Using information mediums to narrate their lives an to audience.
3) Defining against or with a fad/taste culture or identity politics.
4) Performance of an idealised personality/identity. (Hartley, 2005, P.112)
5) Online indivualised education. (Schuler, 1996, P.79)

===Theory===
An interesting theory of the individuals identity in relation to the Information Society is raised by Botler (1991 in Strate, Jacobson & Gibson, 2003, P.124) Botler suggests that identity itself may no longer be comprised of recognisable characteristics but instead become '...a wandering eye which occupies various perspectives after the other...' suggestiong that the information society may one day instead of being a means for identity manipulation instead become the foundation for individauls entire personal identity.

Refrences

Farlex (2005) Identity, The free dictionary, http://www.thefreedictionary.com/identity, acessed on 25/10/05

Hartley, J. (2005) Creative Industries, United Kingdom: Blackwell Publishing. ISBN 1405101474

Schuler, D. (1996) New Community Networks: Wired for Change, New York: ACM Press. ISBN 0201595532

Shirky, Clay (1995) Voices from the Net, United States of America: Ziff-davis Press. ISBN 1562763032

Strate, Jacboson & Gibson (2003) Communication and Cyberspace, 2nd (edn)New jersy: The Hampton Press. ISBN 1572733942

Reid, Elizabeth 'Electropolic' gopher://english.hss.cmu.edu/0F-2%A1209%3AReid-Electropolis

Word Count

400
Kristin Huddleston 01:17, 28 Oct 2005 (EST)