Online Identity

How many online identities do you have ?What are they like?
I have about 5 identities online.I have different accounts.They are different from msn,facebook,school web site,xanga and yahoo.
In what ways are they different to our "in person"identities"?
I always use my real name ,for example,in facebook and my e-mail to let my schoolmates or teachers to contact me.I also have a xanga account without using my real name so I can express my feelings freely.
What are some benefits of expressing one's identities online?
I think the benefits of expressing one's identities online are making new friends and sharing.Sometimes we can use the facebook to add some new friends or connect with our friends.It is good to see how others' lives and activities.Sometimes,good use of sharing can make us famous.Take,for example,a 11-year-old girl Tavi Gevinson set up a fashion blog Style rookie in 2008.She described herself as“ Tiny 13 year old dork that sits inside all day wearing awkward jackets and pretty hats. ”Since then she became very popular and famous.


What are some risks?
Sometimes,the advertising company would steal our photos posted online to make money.We are being used.Also there are some fake online indentities ,we will be cheated.In some online dating web site,we click on the photos of the person that we like and have a date with him/her.At last, we found a completely different person from the web site.This is very disappointing.

References:
Epstein, Robert (2007), "The Truth About Online Dating", Scientific American Mind (February 2007), http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=the-truth-about-online-da

 [Accessed December 1, 2010].

Wiseman, Eva (20 September 2009). "Tavi Gevinson: The 13-year-old blogger with the fashion world at her feet". The Observer. http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/sep/20/tavi-gevinson-new-york-fashion. [Retrieved December 1, 2010.]