In his book “Self Expression in Daily Life” (1959), Goffman established a theory that describes social behaviour using dramatic metaphors. He argues that people regulate their impressions in front of a “audience” by playing certain parts, similar to performers on stage. Goffman classified these performances into “front-stage” and “back-stage” behaviours. The ‘front-stage’ behaviour symbolises a carefully produced self, or the identity that individuals portray when they are aware they are being observed. This persona has been deliberately built to fit social expectations, regulate perceptions, and elicit favourable responses. In contrast, the ‘backstage’ is a private zone where individuals may let their guard down and reveal their true selves.
In the digital space, Goffman’s theory demonstrates how people may create highly controlled front-end identities in order to adhere to the image they want. Opinion leaders on social media, for example, may deliberately curate their online image in order to attract followers and highlight appealing personality attributes. However, the anonymity given by digital platforms complicates matters by allowing people to build characters that differ dramatically from their genuine selves and, in some cases, conceal destructive intents.
The Dark Side of Digital Identity: The Nth Room Case
The ‘Nth Room Case’ is a particularly irritating case from South Korea that involves the exploitation of women and adolescents. This event illustrates the harmful elements of digital identities and anonymity. In one case, the crooks utilised encrypted chat rooms to scare victims into creating pornographic content and profiting from it. The “Room N” incident demonstrates that, while digital identity is sometimes used for self-expression, it may also conceal dangerous beliefs.
Digital Identity’s Front Stage Performance
The ‘Nth Room Case’ demonstrated a clear divergence between online and real identities. Criminals employ the anonymity offered by encrypted communication tools to create phoney identities and conceal their illicit actions. By concealingThe ‘Nth Room Case’ demonstrated a clear divergence between online and real identities. Criminals employ the anonymity offered by encrypted communication tools to create phoney identities and conceal their illicit actions. By concealing themselves behind digital masks, they built a front-end identity that allows them to exploit people without disclosing their genuine identities. This manipulation of digital identity is consistent with Goffman’s idea of front-end performance, but with a dark twist: online identity is used to deceive and dominate others while avoiding accountability.
The Divide Between Online and Offline Selves
The ‘Nth Room’ incident also underlines the digital world’s divide between front-stage and back-stage identities. Although there is some balance between these two roles in traditional settings, anonymity frequently exacerbates the divide in the online realm. Criminals make a clear distinction between their online persona and their true identity, allowing them to avoid accountability before authorities intervene. This gap demonstrates the dangers of unrestricted anonymity, in which the separation of front-end and back-end allows destructive behaviour to thrive under the guise of digital imaging.
Reference list
BBC News (2024). K-pop scandal: Exposing the secret chat groups | BBC News. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yGawLI4AQo.
Deh, D. and Glođović, D. (2018). The Construction of Identity in Digital Space. AM Časopis za studije umetnosti i medija, [online] (16), pp.101–111. Available at: https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=701366.
Goffman, E. (1990). The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
Hackread – Latest Cybersecurity, Tech, Crypto & Hacking News. (2020). Leader of biggest online sextortion ring ‘Nth Room’ jailed for 40 years. [online] Available at: https://hackread.com/nth-room-online-sex-trafficking-ringleader-jailed/ [Accessed 3 Nov. 2024].
