Turkle's Claims on Altered Identity and Information Processing
Turkle (5) claims in his article our split screens that an individual's identity is altered by their engagement with virtual simulations and involvement in other computer devices. Furthermore, the author explains how artificial technology affects information processing by the human mind. Nonetheless, the world has yet to be devoured by the wave of social media at the time of writing. Despite improvements, most of Turkle's postulations still have relevance in contemporary society in terms of how social channels define self-identity. In Turkle's later work, the individual discusses computers in specific, which was the most significant invention at the time, in regards to how affects the way the mind thinks leading to a group of people that do not care about their privacy and overreliance on the online platforms for solutions (Turkle 2).
Relevance of Turkle's Advancements in Today's Society
Today, most users of social media technology are engaged and redefining the nature of interactions whereby most of the youths can post their personal information a world of increased surveillance by both governments and business (Herring and Sanja 1). In this regard, the essay entails a review of the literature to expound on the relevance of Turkle's advancements and their significance today in changing the meaning and ways of performing online friendships considering the increased number of social media users in platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.
Online Identity and Its Influence on Friendships
Today, the use social media technology such as Facebook and LinkedIn in professional, education and current settings contribute significantly to the development of social identity and the influence towards defining friendship (Hung and Steve 703). Some of the researchers view the development of the self in two perspectives to include the online version and the real self (Pennell). In this argument, online engagements with other anonymous people can encourage a different version of an individual to avoid exposing who they are (Pennell). On the other hand, a person's behavior and norms are in sharp contrast when physically engaging with friends they know (Taylor). Turkle instead views this situation by arguing that people have to accept living in the social media generation. Also, double personality as a normality in the contemporary world. In the argument, Turkle posits that trying a new character over the internet environment does not become unreal but instead another way of expressing one's identity.
The Impact of Social Media Friendships on Identity
Despite these arguments, the position attracts criticism due to the impact of the social media friendships and their effects to a person's identity and the way they influence the actions of an individual both positively and negatively. On the positive side, friendships developed through Facebook and other platforms are not defined by knowing a person individually but sharing the same ideologies and views towards aspects of life (Lenhart). In this respect, whether individuals meet physically or in Social networks, what matters is how they express who they are and the connection of the similar view with other individuals. The proponents of this view constructively indicate that social media is critical in building the self-identity since the lack of restriction on what to post or share with others helps teenagers and the youth to express their selves better, as well as discover their ideals (Alruwaili; Herring and Sanja 1). In one of the studies to justify the identity changes by social media, the researcher concluded that based on the findings, Saudi Arabian females in the US changed their perception and identity through the use of Facebook. Also, proper use of the technology in educational settings can significantly help an individual discover more about their 'self' (Ogidi 19; Hung and Steve 704) Therefore, just like the family, community, and religion, social media is another social institution that thrives on the technological advancements to help reach a wider approach to identity (Alruwaili).
The Negative Influence of Social Networks on Self-Identity
On the other hand, some critics view the transformation of the self-identity through the influence social networks as negative influences (Taylor). The proponents of this line support Turkle's concern about the exposure of personal information to anonymous people without precaution of the impacts (Turkle 2). Based on the perception of friendships through media based on the similar views of individuals, platforms such as Facebook, therefore, are impractical in connecting people with similar opinions. In one of the articles, a teen individual suffering from a stressful situation took it to online to share her case only for the friends with allegedly similar views to advise her to commit suicide (Johnson). After a month, the teen went head to kill herself, and the parents blamed the online platform for the negative influences (Johnson). In this case, each of the individuals involved is expressing an identity through their comments and expressions of feeling. Though they may not mean actual suicide, they implication could be the issues raised by the teen are insignificant. Therefore, in such a situation, the teen could only discover that there is emotional distress can lead to suicidal thoughts (Kaplan and Michael 60). Based on this example, an individual can possess more than one identity, and social networks help to build on the affirmation of the same. On the other hand, online friendship can significantly influence an individual either positively or negatively (Kaplan and Michael 60). In this case, the negative consequences are as a result of associations in online platforms that enhance cyberbullying, and harmful online content.
Work Cited
Alruwaili, Tahani Obaid M. "Self-Identity And Community Through Social Media: The Experience Of Saudi Female International College Students In The United States." Digscholarship.Unco.Edu, 2017, https://digscholarship.unco.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1399&context=dissertations.
Herring, Susan C., and Sanja Kapidzic. "Teens, Gender, And Self-Presentation In Social Media." International Encyclopedia Of Social And Behavioral Sciences, 2015, pp. 1-16. http://info.ils.indiana.edu/~herring/teens.gender.pdf.
Hung, Hsiu-Ting, and Steve Chi-Yin Yuen. "Educational Use Of Social Networking Technology In Higher Education." Teaching In Higher Education, vol 15, no. 6, 2010, pp. 703-714. Informa UK Limited, doi:10.1080/13562517.2010.507307.
Johnson, Chandra. "Growing Up Digital: How The Internet Affects Teen Identity." Deseretnews.Com, 2014, https://www.deseretnews.com/article/865603981/Growing-up-digital-How-the-Internet-affects-teen-identity.html.
Kaplan, Andreas M., and Michael Haenlein. "Users Of The World, Unite! The Challenges And Opportunities Of Social Media." Business Horizons, vol 53, no. 1, 2010, pp. 59-68. Elsevier BV, doi:10.1016/j.bushor.2009.09.003.
Lenhart, Amanda. "Chapter 4: Social Media And Friendships." Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech, 2015, http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/08/06/chapter-4-social-media-and-friendships/.
Ogidi, Joshua Dickson. "Social Media As A Source Of Self-Identity Formation: Challenges And Opportunities For Youth Ministry." 2015, pp. 19-20.
Pennell, Julie. "Social Media Is Impacting IRL Friendships." Teen Vogue, 2015, https://www.teenvogue.com/story/how-technology-and-social-media-affect-teen-friendships.
Taylor, Jim. "Technology: Is Technology Stealing Our (Self) Identities?." Psychology Today, 2011, https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-power-prime/201107/technology-is-technology-stealing-our-self-identities.
Turkle, Sherry. "Our Split Screens." Etnofoor, vol 15, no. 1/2, 2002, pp. 5-19. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25758020.
Turkle, Sherry. "How Computers Change The Way We Think." Www1.Udel.Edu, 2008, http://www1.udel.edu/educ/whitson/897s05/files/turkle.htm.
