Ways that online contexts are important settings for adolescent identity development include how they deal with their sexuality and ethnicity. In regard to that, utilizing social media and the internet to express yourself rather than in your physical life. It makes sense that this may be the case, especially for younger people as societal differences impact how people think of things. The online world gives people a place to express themselves with whoever they want, usually being like-minded people that will accept a person for who they are. “First, with regards to sexuality, the research showed that adolescents identifying with a sexual minority felt fore at ease in expressing their sexuality and connecting with others in online contexts than they did offline”. (Hillier and Harrison 2007) (Wängqvist and Frisén 2016) I do believe societies are adapting and are becoming accepting of all people as a whole, but there’s always people within that society who are not in regard to sexuality and ethnicity and being considered a minority on the terms of that. I think this holds true for adults as well, but not as much because I think as we grow older and mature, we understand that everyone is different but we’re all human. It seems to be the case that not all adults understand that, but it’s always a work in progress.
In the Bozkurt & Tu (2016) article, research is presented that attempts to answer the question, “How can social networks impact learning through digital identity formation?” We as the users utilize the internet to build social networks that allow us to effectively communicate with who we want to which is a contributor to the basic requirements of social learning like things such as communicating, reciprocating, and understanding. Social networks are known as a place online where people can connect through photos, comments, posts, and more. It’s now growing to capabilities that might’ve never been expected in regard to the educational possibilities that are available at the touch of a button. “Most students anticipated that a Facebook page would facilitate their learning, by increased interaction with students and instructors, and notifications for course information”. (Irwin, Ball, Desbrow, & Leveritt, 2012) (Bozkurt & Tu, p. 162) I find this true as the benefits of what social media and the internet have in connection with education are particularly being shown right now during the COVID-19 pandemic as we adapt to different forms of learning and methods as a whole. I believe that social networks impact learning through digital identity formation in that they provide a space for people to communicate in different ways and provide the ability to express themselves in unique ways as well. Gaining recognition for things might have been more complicated in the past. Now, we have the ability to promote our social identity with the odds in our favor that there are other people out there that we can relate with. I feel this is important with children as they are growing up and making friends or struggling to make friends, social networking has provided an opportunity if others weren’t working.
In regard to how we can help people, but maybe most importantly kids discover and experience the many emerging possibilities for networked, human connection while allowing them to safely grow and share their identities and the identities of others: I think that children are highly influenced at a young age and through their adolescent years by what they see and hear from the people they are around the most, and now the internet and social media as many spend a lot of time on that myself, as I did throughout my pre-teen and teenage years (and still do). I believe everyone should learn the digital rights of themselves and others and what you can and can’t do online at a young age to make sure you are staying in the lines of legality. In the TEDx video, speaker Alec Couros tells a story of how an embarrassing video was leaked online by a student’s classmates, “you’ve probably seen this video at some point. This was uploaded in 2003 without his permission”. (Tedx, Alec Couros, 0:25) The parents of that student took legal action against the other families due to the embarrassment and harassment this child faced and still faces because of the virality of his video. This is an important and expensive example what isn’t allowed when it comes to digital property and use of digital spaces and social media and how it doesn’t just impact you but others as well.