Lesson 8:The Digital Self:

Who Am I in the
Cyberworld?

Asst. Prof. GRACIA J. ABIN, RGC

Faculty, PUP Ragay, Camarines Sur Branch
 Learning Objectives:

At the end of the lesson, students would be able to:

1. Discuss the definition, nature, and functions of digital
self.
2. Explore online identity and its impact on the self
3. Compare real identity and online identity
4. Examine the influence of internet in relation to sexuality
and gender.
5. Learning on how to be safe in the digital space “Cyber
Crime Law”, its advantages and disadvantages
 Introduction:
The digital self in the aspect of the will that one projects and engages in the
internet through surfing, playing, engaging in social, networking sites, and more.
The current age is digitally immersed where even cellular phones are connected to
the internet for efficient access to information and communication.

Furthermore, according to technology historian George Dyson (2012), the

digital age or digital universe is proving at a rate of 5 trillion bits per second in
storage and two trillion transistors per second in processing. This statement
implies highly updated and growing digital capacities of this age. Thus, there is a
challenge that arises in managing this fast and growing avenue where the world of
humans is being penetrated and affected in various ways.

ONLINE IDENTITIES

Several websites online require a user to sign up for an account in order to

gain full access.The site asks for certain information such as one's name, age,
email address, and a preferred user name and password. One's online identity may
also include other characteristics such as physical traits, preferences, personality,
and skills
 Introduction:

SELECTIVE SELF REPRESENTATION AND IMPRESSION

To fully understand selective self-presentation and impression

management, one must explore the concepts of virtual identity and
personality.

Virtual identity refers to a set of characteristics or qualities of an

online user. It is commonly used for chat rooms or internet gaming
platforms. There are different virtual identities created to match
different platforms and virtual spaces for example, avatars in games.

Virtual identities are built to create virtual representations of

certain individuals to express themselves and to use for virtual
collaboration. Virtual personality, on the other hand, refers to the
presence and attributes of a person online.
Activity: Three Facts, One Fiction

Instruction: Construct four sentences that should start with “I am

_________________.” Three of the four sentences should be true about yourself. You
can talk about your characteristics, strengths, weaknesses, accomplishments,
achievements, personalities, and behavior. One statement should be a lie – something
that you just made up about yourself. Make the activity more fun by making your
classmates believe that the statement is true.

1. I am ______________________________________________.

2. I am ______________________________________________.

3. I am ______________________________________________.

4. I am ______________________________________________.
Analysis

What have you learned from the activity?

Did you learn from your classmates that you did
not know before? What were the clues that
helped you figure out which statements were
facts and fiction? Were your classmates able to
discern easily the facts and fiction about you?
Why?
Discussion:
These days, more people are becoming active in using the Internet for
research, pleasure, business, communication, and other purposes. Indeed, the
internet is of great help for everyone. On the other hand, people assume different
identities while in the cyberspace. People act differently when they are online and
offline. We have our real identity and online identity.
The number of people who are becoming more active online continues to
increase worldwide. More than half of the population worldwide now uses the
internet. It has been 25 years since Tim Berners-Lee made the World Wide
Web (www) available to the public, but in that time, the internet has already
become an integral part of everyday life for most of the world’s population. The
Philippines is among one of the countries with the most active users.

1. Almost two-thirds of the world’s population now has a mobile phone.

2. More than half of the world’s web traffic now comes from mobile phones.
3. More than half of all mobile connections around the world are now “broadband.”
4. More than one in five of the world’s population shopped online in the past 30
days.
Discussion:
Media users in the Philippines grew by 12 million or 25%
while the number of mobile social users increased by 13 million or
32%. Those growth figures are still higher compared to the previous
year. More than half of the world now uses a smartphone.
Online Identity – is actually the sum of all our characteristics and
our interactions
Partial Identity – a subset of characteristics that make-up our
identity.
Persona – is the partial identity we create that represents
ourselves in a specific situation.
Personal Identity – is the interpersonal level of self which
differentiates the individual as unique from others
Social Identity – the level of self whereby the individual is
identified by his or her group memberships
Discussion:
Self-presentation – is the process of controlling
how one is perceived by other people and is the
key to relationship inception and development.
Sex – the biological state that corresponds to
what we might call a “man” or a “woman”
Gender – is the social understanding of how sex
should be experienced and how sex manifests
behaviors, personality, preferences, capabilities,
and so forth.
Sexuality – is an individual expression and
understanding of desire
Discussion:
Setting Boundaries to Your Online Self: Smart
Sharing
The following guidelines will help you share
information online in a smart way that will protect
yourself and not harm others. Before sharing or posting
anything online, consider the following.
 Is this post/story necessary?
 Is there a real benefit to this post?
 Have we (as a family or parent/child) resolved this
issue?
 Is it appropriate?
 Will this seem as funny in 5, 10, or 15 years after?
Discussion:
Rules to follow:

 Stick to safer sites.

 Guard your passwords.
 Limit what you share.
 Remember that anything you put online or post on a
site is there forever, even if you try to delete it.
 Do not be mean or embarrass other people online.
 Always tell if you see strange or bad behavior online.
 Be choosy about your online friends.
 Be patient.
The Fundamentals of the Act
Cybercrime also called computer crime is the use of a
computer as an instrument to further illegal ends such as
committing fraud trafficking child pornography, intellectual
property violations, stealing identities or violation of privacy.
The difference between traditional criminal offenses from
cybercrime is the use of the computer in committing such
offenses. Majorly cybercrime is an attack on the information of
Individuals, governments or corporations.
To combat and prevent cybercrime, the government of
the Philippines introduced the Republic Act No.10175 or Cyber
Prevention Act of 2012. This Act was signed by the President
of the Philippines Mr. Benigno Aquino on September 12th of
2012. The original goal of this Act was to penalize acts like
cybersex, child pornography, identity theft etc.
The key provisions of the Cybercrime
Prevention Act of 2012
Illegal Access: Access to a computer or any application without permission.
Illegal Interception: Interception of any non-public communication of computer data
to, from, or within a computer system by an unauthorized person.
Data Interference: Unauthorized tampering with, destroying, deleting, or deteriorating
computer data, electronic documents, or electronic data messages, as well as the
introduction or transmission of viruses. This provision can also cover authorised activity if
the person’s behaviour went beyond the agreed-upon scope and resulted in the damages
listed in this provision.
System Interference: Unauthorized interference with the operation of a computer or
computer network, including the introduction or transmission of viruses, by inputting,
transmitting, damaging, deleting, deteriorating, altering, or suppressing computer data
or programmes, electronic data messages, or by deleting, deteriorating, altering, or
suppressing them. This provision can also cover authorised activity if the person’s
behaviour went beyond the agreed-upon scope and resulted in the damages listed in this
provision.
Misuse of devices: Unauthorized use, possession, production, sale, procurement,
importation, distribution, or otherwise making available of gadgets, computer
programmes, or other materials developed or adapted for committing any of the acts
listed in Republic Act 10175. Unauthorized use of a computer password, access code, or
similar data that allows the entire or a portion of a computer system to be accessed with
the intent of using it to perpetrate any of the offences listed in Republic Act 10175.
The key provisions of the Cybercrime
Prevention Act of 2012
Cybersquatting: Acquisition of a domain name in bad faith on the internet to profit,
deceive, harm reputation, and prevent others from registering it. This includes trademarks
that were already registered at the time of registration, names of people other than the
registrant, and trademarks that were purchased with intellectual property interests in
them. Those who get domain names of prominent brands and individuals who in turn are
used to damage their reputation can be sued under this provision. Note that freedom of
expression and infringement on trademarks or names of persons are usually treated
separately. A party can exercise freedom of expression without necessarily violating the
trademarks of a brand or the names of persons.
Computer related Forgery: Unauthorized input, alteration, or deletion of computer data
that results in inauthentic data with the intent that it be considered or acted on for legal
purposes as if it were authentic, regardless of whether the data is directly readable and
intelligible; or the act of knowingly using computer data that is the product of computer-
related forgery as defined here to perpetuate .
Computer-related Fraud: Unauthorized access to, alteration of, or deletion of computer
data or programmes, or interference with the operation of a computer system, with the
purpose to cause damage
Computer-related Identity Theft: Unauthorized acquisition, use, abuse, transfer,
possession, change, or deletion of an individual’s identifying information, whether natural
or legal.
Cybersex: For favour or consideration, willful engagement, maintenance, control, or
operation, directly or indirectly, of any lascivious presentation of sexual organs or sexual
activity via a computer system.
The key provisions of the Cybercrime
Prevention Act of 2012
Child Pornography: Unlawful or banned activities conducted through a computer system, as defined
and punished by Republic Act No. 9775 or the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009.
Libel: Acts of libel that are illegal or forbidden under Article 355 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended,
and are committed using a computer system or any other similar means that may be created in the
future. Penal Code Revision According to Article 355 Libel is defined as defamation of character by
writings or other means. Libel committed by writing, printing, lithography, engraving, radio, phonograph,
painting, theatrical exhibition, cinematographic exhibition, or any other similar means is punishable by
prison correctional for the minimum and medium periods, or a fine ranging from 200 to 6,000 pesos, or
both, in addition to any civil action that the offended party may bring.
Aiding or Abetting in the commission of cybercrime: Anyone who knowingly assists or abets the
conduct of any of the offences listed in this Act will be held accountable.
Attempt in the commission of cybercrime: Any person who willfully attempts to commit any of the
offences enumerated in this Act shall be held liable.
All crimes defined and penalized by the Revised Penal Code, as amended, and special laws, if committed
by, through and with the use of information and communications technologies shall be covered by the
relevant provisions of this Act.
Corporate Liability:(Section 9): When any of the punishable acts herein defined are knowingly
committed on behalf of or for the benefit of a juridical person by a natural person acting either
individually or as part of an organ of the juridical person who has a leading position within, based on: (a)
a power of representation of the juridical person provided the act committed falls within the scope of
such authority; or (b) an authority to make decisions on behalf of the juridical person. It also includes the
commission of any of the penal acts made possible due to the lack of supervision, provided that the act
committed falls within the scope of such authority; or(c) an authority to exercise control inside the
juridical person.
Advantages of the Cybercrime Prevention
Act of 2012
 Cybersex, Cyberbullying, Child pornography
are now offenses and such offenders can be
punished. The children’s rights are protected
by this Act.
 All kinds of businesses using the internet as a
medium are protected by this Act.
 Provisions of this act now define the offence of
cybersquatting and this deters people from the
act of cybersquatting.
 Provisions that penalizes online identity theft.
This provision protects the individual’s privacy
and its protection.
Disadvantages of the Cybercrime
Prevention Act of 2012
 Ambiguity in the terms given in the Act such as the
term online libel is not defined anywhere which can
lead to different interpretations. Ambiguity can be
seen in the provision of real-time data collection.
 The ambiguity in the Act may lead to the freedom of
speech. The ambiguities like the absence of a proper
definition of online libel may lead to confusion.
Sometimes the expression of some truth may be
misinterpreted as Libel. People may be restrained from
expressing themselves.
 The implementation and execution of this Act yearly
cost a huge cost to the government.
Summary:
The digital aspect of the self is what an individual
projects online. One can create an online profile with a
virtual identity and personality. This process allows for
one’s self-expression and creativity through posting
images, creating avatars, writing comments and
opinions, and more. Through the internet, social media
platforms allow an individual to communicate with
others quickly and easily. However, with the benefits of
social media came its drawbacks such as identity theft,
robbery, and psychological problems. One must be
cautious when using online profiles and platforms so
that they can serve as tools to understand oneself
better.
 Thanks so much and
let’s be a responsible
Netizen