America Online

We now live in the digital age and the country who has led in the expansion of this is America. Without wanting to repeat what other people have said too much they have bought us the likes of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube etc..... These digital creations have allowed the current generations of Americans to express themselves on so many different forms and instantly connect with each other. Before the internet worldwide communications were limited to letters or phone calls now you can instantaneously know and like and comment on where someone is (via social networks). Among the overwhelming positives there are some negatives to the online identity, it allows many to hide behind their computers and can create a thing known as "trolling" as you can see described at the bottom of the page on this link:

http://w350digitalwriting.wikidot.com/self-identity-creation

"yet, this social diversification and connection can be hampered by internet "trolls" who seek to degrade other users, depending on the genre of digital writing. Specifically targeted genres of digital writing are blogs, question forums, and discussions. Trolls are a genre of user unique to digital writing. Because of the ease of access, anonymity, and publicity that digital writing provides, as opposed to other forms of writing, trolls exist. Trolls are a growing sub-culture of digital media, which tend to breach accepted ideas of idioms of practice. They have gained notoriety as the delinquents of many online communities, and appear to be the "roadblock" of social expansion and self-identity expression that digital writing rhetorically enables."

This online identity is not however limited to Americans, with instances such as the Arab Spring using social networks to rise up against and criticize dictatorships. Something they would never have been able to do before.

I think the online identity in America will be a good thing for the future of identity in America as it allows people the freedom to express and share their experiences with the world.