Creating A False Identity On Social Media

If you overestimate your identity on social media, you will end up building a virtual character that is very similar to the person you really are. What are the consequences of creating a false identity on social media? Increased risk of frustration and a confusing identity are just two of them.

The virtual world is an area that invites you to create a character to interact with others. Searching for attention on social media is a livelihood for many people nowadays. These networks are places where people set up a show and play the roles of the person they want to be.

The opposite of the virtual world is not the real world, but rather the current world we live in. On the internet you do not often see what these people really are like. Somehow, everyone can hide what they do not want others to see, or show them what they want. This also occurs in our physical lives, but not to the same extent as online. Almost anything can be displayed on social media.

Thus, something that in principle is imaginative and fun, can easily become problematic. This happens when you want to show that you are a certain type of person on social media. You start basing yourself on this person and end up confused about your real identity. 

False identity on social media

It is easy to create a false identity on social media. You can tell everything to other people you find there, and in real time. But that person has no way of verifying that what you are saying is true. The same goes for everything you post online.

It is one thing to create a facade on social media, but quite another to do it in the real world. Virtual reality does not allow you to access a person’s real situation and see what they really are. Nor does it allow you to effectively see contrasts between what someone is saying and your perception of who they really are.

All the ideal circumstances exist for you to be extremely flexible about your true identity. You do not realize it, but end up creating and displaying a character that represents your ideal self. Once you have created this false image of yourself, you begin to cultivate, promote and embellish it.

Confirmation and admiration

The identity you build on social media always shows the “best” of you. You get feedback on every post you post. Some get many “likes”, while others go unnoticed. You gradually learn which aspects of your identity are most admired and confirmed by all your “friendships” online.

Showing a facade and creating a false identity on social media is also a way to compete with others in the “social market”. Some are so preoccupied with their virtual world that they also begin to judge those around them. In this way, they can create some artificial but fragile bonds.

Confirmation and admiration on social media rarely comes from genuine recognition. It has more to do with getting as many likes and followers as you can.

Many internet celebrities, also called influencers, come from all of this. They are the ones most quoted in the “personality market”. Based on what they say, they are either replaced or reinforced on a daily basis. 

False identity on social media: Self-image is the real problem

Social media is created for profit. In themselves, they are neither good nor bad. But they are a breeding ground for people to increase the effects of peer pressure and consolidate “trends” that are not always constructive or enriching for people and society.

They are also places where people often trivialize the things that really matter. On a daily basis, one can see that they separate more than they collect. They call for a micro-dictatorship of opinions, and for people who are not confident enough to form an independent approach to reality, this can lead to the creation of misleading or even fraudulent identities.

Social media are also places that can easily condition us. Showing off and creating a false identity on social media can be something that creates more expectations and emotions than it should. Some people find it very frustrating when they post something that goes unnoticed.

And yet here we have the great, ironic contradiction. By doing this, you are actually isolating yourself from your true surroundings and your true identity. 

Writing comments and sharing things on these media is just another way to establish ties with others. If you allow yourself to become too preoccupied with social media, you only end up distorting what you really are and rejecting the valuable opportunities to build deeper friendships and express your true self.