I heard a song on the radio today that aptly illustrates the stark difference between Identity reality and Identity fantasy acted out on line by many people. The protagonist in Brad Paisley’s hit son Online admits, “I’m 5 foot 3 and overweight … And I’ve never been to second base. But there’s whole ‘nother me that you need to see. Go checkout MySpace. ‘Cause online I’m out in Hollywood. I’m 6 foot 5 and I look d*** good. I drive a Maserati. I’m a black-belt in karate … So much cooler online.”

It sounds like the guy in Brad’s song is fairly harmless, but too many participants on the Internet hide behind a mask of anonymity, presenting themselves as someone they are are not. There are too many predators out there posturing as harmless friends, sometimes just lurking, sometimes actively seeking to lure innocents into a web of deceit and destruction. I understand and accept a few valid reasons for anonymity on line, but the deliberate deception practiced by far too many casts a sordid shadow across cyberspace.

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Digital Identity,
Anonymity