Me on the Internet

After typing my name on the Google search bar, I was nervous to see the results of what is yet to appear in the worldwide Web. Turns out, there was little for me to worry about since all of the results had nothing related to me personally. The first result is a Facebook search of the name Marwa Ahmed. Once I entered the link, I was able to see the many faces of Marwa Ahmed's that are signed up with Facebook, around the world. Majority of them are female, Arab, and have different backgrounds from the middle East. After Facebook, other links were LinkedIn and I had the chance to see multiple Marwa's professional profiles who also reside in mainly Egypt or United Arab Emirates. Further in the results, there were Twitter accounts by Marwa Ahmed owners, as well as Youtube users. It was interesting to see the results for Images under my name's search as all the pictures were diverse variety of girls. Unfortunately, no Doppelgangers were identified although that would have been amusing... but not really.

Having zero related searches that are explicitly about me shows how private I try to keep my online identity. Although I participate in a few social networks which involves me sharing personal information, many of my setting's options are customized and put to private. For example, on Facebook I have the option to not let people search for me unless I add them or have mutual friends. Also, pictures of myself are completely privatized and only friends are able to view them. I do not consider myself paranoid or afraid of online identity theft and what not. I would rather to be completely safe then sorry because things are able to spread and shared instantaneously on the net, especially since it has gotten easier now to save other people's personal images and screen shot their content. Lastly, I try to limit myself from posting and sharing personal things about me online because I believe not everything about me must be displayed or known by everyone else.

On the topic of sharing everything about myself, this is the process of lifecasting. I have learned that it is the constant update of events in one's life through digital media. Facebook, Twitter and many other social networks give you the freedom to post anything about you. This gives you the chance to create your online image and identity which may be not identical to your reality. I believe this is a form of lifecasting because media platforms give people the chance to update their whereabouts, who they are with, doing what, when and how they are feeling at the moment. Images capture a more personal broadcast of yourself as well as videos and audio notes that even take it more personal. These media platforms are even connected within themselves so you can upload the same information on multiple social networks to notify your friends or followers.