An online identity is a social identity that web users create in a website. Each time we surf the web on different sites and interact with them, we are building that identity. For example, when we shop on Amazon, the items we browse and purchase makes up our identity for Amazon. As such, it is possible to have multiple online identities in the internet.
Source- http://www.acxiom.com/recognition-dogs-customer-experience/
Having multiple identities helps provide anonymity to the user. The advantages of having multiple identities is being able to ‘expose some subset of their identity and nothing more.’ (Dave Vronay, 2014). Many people are not comfortable with having just one identity as this would mean all information such as bank records and addresses are consolidated in one online identity. This may lead to many problems such as online theft and even cost jobs. In one famous example, Stacy Snyder, then a 25-year-old teacher in training posted a photo on her MySpace page that showed her at a party wearing a pirate hat and drinking from a plastic cup, with the caption “Drunken Pirate.” After which, he employers found it and fired her, citing it as “unprofessional”.
This is one of the examples why many people prefer to have multiple identities, most commonly separated by having a ‘professional identity’ and a ‘personal identity’. This prevents trouble such as the above when the identities are mixed. A famous advocate of having multiple anonymity, Christian Poole, founder of 4chan, describes the importance of having multiple identities and anonymity in the below video.
Mark Zuckerberg once famously said, “Having two identities for yourself is an example of a lack of integrity”. As a strong believer of having just one online identity, Mark ‘subscribes to the repeated corporate philosophy that if you don’t want something viewable by everyone, then just don’t share it.’
Having a single online identity is not without it’s merits. By having a single online identity, we would be able to show our ‘true self’ without needing to hide anything. Also, having multiple identities is a sign of insecurity and having something to hide. This might also might not be the best indication to a potential employer.
Source – https://www.etskb-stu.cidde.pitt.edu/blackboard/best-practice-protecting-your-identity-and-online-profile/
In conclusion, there are pros and cons to having multiple identities or a single identity. Personally, I prefer to just keep to a single identity as I find is exhausting to manage multiple identities. Also, it reminds me not to do/post anything that I would not be proud of.
References
http://buzzmachine.com/2011/03/08/one-identity-or-more/
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/25/magazine/25privacy-t2.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
https://www.wired.com/insights/2014/11/the-online-identity-crisis/
seantayjr 
Hi Sean, I like how you use the example of Stacy Synder to describe the cons of having single identity. Because as human, we aren’t able to stay on tip top condition all the times. We need a space to ourselves at some point of time, just like how we behave on and off work are totally different. Like what happened to Stacy, if we mix our ‘personal’ and ‘professional’ identity online and post stuffs that clashed with ‘professional’ identity in real life, we might be forced to bear the consequences. Hence, I think it’s good to filter out post to different audiences using different identities. However, understand that this brought up to integrity issues and you also stated your preference of keeping to single identity due to less hassle. With the increasing social influences, how would you deem ‘single identity’ users are really showing their ‘true self’ out there?
Anyways, good post! STAY AMAZING TOO!
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Hi Wendy! Thanks for your comment. I think by behaving on social media as we would in real life, we would be able to avoid such situations while maintaining just one online identity. This also would ‘motivate’ us to be better versions of ourselves by doing things we can be proud of.
However, I agree that being able to filter out different posts to specific audiences does have it’s merits as well!
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