Digital Age, Electronic Identity and Nature of Relationships - Essay Example

Vie makes it clear that every time people upload their photos or participate in any form of communication in the social networking sites, they create an identity for themselves, which their friends at the site will identify them with when they analyze their information. It is not only social networking site that create an electronic identity, but any form of online transaction that requires people to enter their personal information like buying products online (Vie, 17). These transactions leave a trace of information that other internet users will use to identify people.

Many of the electronic identities are created unconsciously, but they leave traces of people electronic identity and can be used to refer to them by others. She gives an example of the identities created in the Gmail account, where the system will bring adverts on the right side of the screen based on the information people view in the account. People’s electronic identity can portray information about people that others may use to judge them, which can lead to loss of identity and denial of a private life.

However, the electronic identity will help in formation of relationships and connect with people known in the past lives. I agree with Vie’s assertion that the digital age has altered our understandings among social relationships and ourselves. In the digital age, social media have had the most crucial role in the understanding of the relationships people form since it has become part of everybody’s lives. Organizations have also joined in the social media to conduct their operations hence sites like Facebook and twitter just to name a few have become frequently used for communication.

People are required to form profiles from which they will post information concerning themselves for others to use. Communication has been made easy since people can communicate globally and meet new people (Harris). From the profiles people create in the social networking sites, they post their thoughts on them, and people will communicate back by writing comments. The digital age has helped people to get new friends easily and connect with people they may have lost contacts within the past.

For this reason, the digital age has formed an easy way for people to meet and share ideas on different issues in the society and their lives. Vie explains that people need to put a balance on the between the need to meet with people and their personal privacy. She explains that the electronic identity created in the social networking site can be of help and at the same time tamper with privacy of people’s information. This is because the information people post on the sites can be used in the later stages of life to deny people opportunities.

Conversations with friends are open for people to see and may be disastrous if not used in the right manner. The American culture is one that people will judge others from the experiences, and it may happen that one can post some sensitive information on the sites that may be used against them in the future. For example, in job seeking, there have been some reports that employers will look at the potential employees social media profiles, and if there is some compromising information, they may not be employed.

For this reason,