Technology and Personal Identity
As Sherry Turkle stated, technology is never neutral (Reszitnyk, 2025, week 7). They actively shape how we see ourselves and others. I can confirm this on Instagram, the platform where I refine myself the most. Everything I post, including photos, videos, and even short captions, becomes how I display myself to an audience that isn’t clearly known. Moreover, what I observe from others also influences how I define who I am. As I scroll through Instagram reels and posts, they gradually shape the norm, what is desirable, such as body image, values, cultural attitudes, or even lifestyles. Because of this, I tend to hide the parts of myself I am self-conscious about, and I only share the happier and lighter side of my life. I built an identity online that Sherry Turkle called “second self,” another version of me who’s confident, stress-free, and outgoing (Reszitnyk, 2025, week 7; Turkle, 1997). Likes and views bring a sense of satisfaction and relief as if my online identity is validated. Through this experience, I confirm how easily my sense of identity is tethered by constant validation. Eventually, my worth depends on feedback on social media.
Technology and Relationships
Technology has completely changed how I interact with others. Through Instagram's DMs, I share reels and posts that make me laugh, and I discover what I have in common with people, including our humour, pastimes, interests, and even daily routines. Apps like WhatsApp or FaceTime make it easy to stay connected with family or friends, no matter the distance, making our relationships more constant. As Nancy Baym said, technology now expands our connection across many digital spaces, building “networked collectivism,” where collectives are tied together across various places rather than confined in a single community (Baym, 2015). While it keeps me close to people far apart, it can also fragment my relationships, as I am engaged online too much, neglecting in-person events, feeling “alone together” ironically.
Figure 2. Smartphone with speech bubbles (Pixabay, 2017)
Technology and Community
Technology allows me to feel a part of many communities. When I interact with people who share similar interests online, I feel more connected and less alone, as well as a sense of belonging when I see others who enjoy the same things with me. And constant conversations with them help me explore my own values and preferences. Through these interactions via what Nancy Baym (2015) called “networked collectivism," I understand what I like and what matters to me, which solidifies my identity. At the same time, technology exposes me to opposing opinions. As long as I intentionally consume content that challenges my perspectives, it encourages me to stay open-minded and to evaluate my beliefs more objectively.
Technology and Self-Expression
Technology has opened a new way for me to express myself. Through online digital tools and platforms, I can share my thoughts, beliefs, creativity, activities, or small projects with people who have similar tastes or interests. Technology makes it easier to find niche communities that appreciate my creation. Furthermore, their feedback, whether compliments or criticism, helps me explore and understand myself deeper. Sherry Turkle, in her TED talk Alone Together (2012), pointed out that online platforms allow people to explore and display different aspects of themselves, which I noticed every time I post content. Each and every interaction shapes how I view identity. At the same time, this reminds me of how important it is to stay aware of how easy it is to perform online for approval instead of expressing my genuine feelings. This proves that technology can become a tool for growth instead of pressure when I focus on authentic creativity rather than perfection for validation from the online audience.
Looking Forward
As technology continues to evolve, I believe it will continue to shape how we view ourselves and how we connect with each other. While new technology makes it easier to reach out to niche communities and receive feedback to refine my identity, there is also a risk. It has the underlying risk that we surround ourselves only with people or content that validates and solidifies what we already believe. Take algorithms, for example, that only show us similar perspectives, potentially stopping us from questioning our own perspectives. Heidegger also warned us that technology can make us lose the ability to truly see the world unless we remain mindful of its impact, calling this phenomenon "enframing" (Heidegger, 1997). This shows that our willingness to engage with diverse content and communities determines whether technology broadens or limits our critical views. Looking ahead, I hope we all remain open to different perspectives so that technology can become a tool for growth rather than restriction.
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