Binalonan, Pangasinan

MODULE 11: Digital Aspect of Self

Name: __________________________________________________________
Course and Year: _________________________________________________
Contact Number/E -mail Address: _____________________________________
Date and Time Allotment: ___________________________________________

Introduction
In order to assess Facebook, the new user needs to create an account the account will contain
personal information about the user. Declared information that is seen on a Facebook profile may either be
true or not, or may even be a combination of the two. For close friends and relatives of the user, it is easy for
them to know if the user's profile contains the truth or not. For those who are not close to the user, they have
no chance to verify the information.  As they say, in the internet, no one knows who you actually are. The
information, activities, ideas, and thoughts that a person uploads on Facebook or any other social networking
site represent how he or she wants to be perceived in a virtual space. The “self” that is presented online can be
regarded as one’s extended self”. Today, with the development of many technologies, the possibilities of self-
extension have never been so extensive.

I. Objectives
At the end of the end of this module, students should be able to:
1.Assess your digital self using an online identity checklist.
2. Distinguish what types of information can be shared or not on social media.
3. Write an essay about being a responsible netizen.
.
II. Lectures
Digital Self

There is no better time to demonstrate the Digital Self than what we are experiencing during this
pandemic wherein the majority of human interactions are being done online. Almost all the schools nationwide
are in a blended mode manner, most people shop online through online shopping applications and most of our
interactions with other people have been restricted to what is available in cyberspace. Conversations with
friends are now mostly done on Facebook Messenger, Twitter, Instagram, or any other social media platforms.
Your online presence is what constitutes the Digital Self. Specifically, the Digital Self refers to a version of
yourself that is projected online. There are various versions of the self when it comes to our online presence.
Your Twitter self might be different from your Facebook self or your Instagram self. Nevertheless, it can be
concluded that your identity in the physical aspect is different from who you are in the virtual world.

Your Online Self vs. Your Real Self

Reflect on this statement: how different is your online self (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) compared to
your real self? Your online self is often more impressive, expressive, and more positive than your real self. On
Facebook or Instagram, we post about the things we achieve, and the places we travel. But it is not so often
that we post on social media our insecurities or setbacks. It is because our online self serves as a way for us to
express who we are in the best positive light. But just because there’s a difference between the online self and
real self doesn’t mean it does not belong to the same person.

A Brief History of Social Media

Way before Facebook even existed, there had been a few preexisting social media sites that gained
popularity. In the ‘90s, a website called Six Degrees is what many people consider to be the first modern social
media site. This is because it used format that is familiar to what we use now, such as the creation of profiles
and adding others as “friend.”

In 1999, LiveJournal became one of the first mainstream blogging formats, years before Tumblr even
existed. In 2002, Friendster was founded, and it became the most popular social media site during its time.
Then followed by LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, four of the most popular social media sites
today.
Social Media Behavior

How do we ensure that we are practicing responsible social media behavior? The ways in which we can
practice responsible social media behavior is by recognizing what is considered to be irresponsible social
media behavior, such as:

1. Cyberbullying/Cyberstalking — a type of harassment done online.

2. Trolling — deliberately inciting quarrels or chaos in online communities.

3. Spreading of Fake News — Sharing or propagating news articles or videos that are not based on facts,
either deliberately or not.

You should know what behaviors are accepted online and what behaviors you need to avoid. With everyone
having social media accounts, everyone should be responsible for making use of social media for its positive
aspects and not otherwise. A netizen should be responsible for whatever he or she shares online and must
always ensure that he or she will not post malicious content that may damage other people in any way.

Social Disinhibition Effect

Often times, our personality in real life doesn’t’ really match our personality in cyberspace. People has
the tendency to act differently in social media from their personality. For instance, a person that is quiet in real
life have the tendency to be expressive and interactive in social media, this is because of the online
disinhibition effect. It is defined as the act of being uninhibited or unrestricted when posting a content online.

Type of Disinhibition Effect

Benign Disinhibition – this is when people express themselves freely including their personal life and reveals
secret emotions about themselves such as their personal desires, fears, wishes &. etc. They technically vent
out everything may it be personal or not.

Toxic Disinhibition – this happen when people express or spills rude language and hard criticisms, anger,
hatred, and even threats. Or people explore the dark underworld of the internet, places of pornography and
violence, places they would never visit in the real world.

III. Activity

ACT 11.1

Complete your online identity checklist. Tick the box that corresponds to your answer.
Item Yes No
1. Is your profile picture your picture?
2. Do you include your place of residence in your profile?
3. Do you include your educational background in your profile?
4. Do you include your relationship status in your profile?
5.  Do you include the name of your hometown in your profile?
6. Do you express your stand on particular political issues by writing posts?
7.  Do you share prayers and religious stories?
8.  Do you share information about health and wellness?
9. Do you use social media for business purposes?
10. Do you post the movies that you have just watched or plan to watch?
11.  Do you post the picture of the book or novel that you have just read or plan to
buy?
12..  Do you post pictures of your pet?
13.  Do you upload pictures of your newly purchased gadgets or toys?
14.  Do you upload pictures of the place that you have been to?
15.  Do you upload pictures of you with respectable people including celebrities?
16.  Do you upload pictures because you are bored?
17.  Do you upload pictures of the food you eat?
ACT 11.2

Are you a responsible netizen? Justify your answer.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

IV. Assessment

In your own perspective, as a responsible netizen, what pieces of information, activities, thoughts, opinions, or
feelings should be kept private and should never be divulged on social media? Write your answers on the table
provided.

Information, Activities, Thoughts, Opinions, and Explanation

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.
REFERENCES:

 Brawner & Arcega, Understanding the Self, 2018, C&E Publishing, Inc. Quezon City.

 Corpuz, R., Estoque, Ronan S., Tabotabo, Claudio V. (2019). Understanding The Self, C&E Publishing,
Inc.
 Peñaflor and Peñaflor, (2016). Values Education Legal and Ethical Perspective (1 st edition), Unlimited
Books Library Services and Publishing Inc., Intramuros, Manila.

 Suler, J. The basic psychological features of cyberspace. In The Psychology of Cyberspace,

 Thir M, Batthyany A. (2016). The State of Empirical Research on Logotherapy and Existential Analysis.
In: Logotherapy and Existential Analysis: Proceedings of the Viktor Frankl Institute Vienna, Volume
1.: pp.53-74. 
 Trussell J, Aiken ARA, Micks E, Guthrie KA. (2018). Efficacy, safety, and personal considerations. In
Contraceptive technology. 21st ed. New York, NY: Ayer Company Publishers, Inc.

Prepared by:

REZZIE P. MENSALVAS, CHRA

Submitted to:

RAYMOND N. CLARO, PhD.