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rapidly across SNS websites, and such digital identity is exposed to a variety of
interpretation by others. From that standpoint, the mirror world which is shaped via
SNS websites could be regarded as a dull mirror, even though the users give out
their real names. Also, the dull mirror world continues being recorded in one way or
another. Like life logging systems (Allen 2008 ), it is thought that information about
one's private life, continually being saved on the SNS website, may annoy the user.
13.5 Dilemma of Real Name System
There is a way of thinking that by maintaining a relationship on the SNS website,
communication in both real and virtual space can be managed effectively, and that
this is best done by revealing the user's real name. However, the ability to control
how one's digital identity is developed is lost to some extent on an SNS. It is
inevitable that others will post information related to another user indirectly or
purposefully on the SNS, and that information provided by one's self and others is
interpreted in differing contexts of others, such as friends or even a third person.
The dataveillance systems, operating as a black box, continue to analyse which kind
of information should be provided for users in a timely manner and to encourage
users to reveal their personal information.
Such situations pose a dilemma for SNS that require real name users. It has been
shown that while the user would typically like to continue communicating under
their real name, their capacity for shaping their digital identity could be impaired to
some extent. On the other hand, if SNS were to move away from using a real name
policy, opportunities to receive useful and appropriate information for oneself may
well decrease, and it may even negatively affect the opportunity to expand their
social relations. In fact, the transmission of information through the SNS website
makes it possible for the user to receive a huge amount of responses from other
users. It cannot be denied that there is a real advantage at present in this regard for
SNS using a real name policy. Users are forced to confront this dilemma; to risk or
not risk using their actual name.
Recruiting activities are a typical example. Recently, companies in the U.S.A.
provide a “job fit score” which is calculated based on users' information they reveal
on various social media (Garling 2011 ), such as Facebook and Twitter. For the job
hunter, these services may force them to reveal personal information via social
media, because digital identity can be taken as a good sign of employment aware-
ness. On the other hand, with regard to the dilemma described earlier, it is not easy
to control our digital identity by ourselves.
Moreover, if we can understand such a SNS dilemma, how can users continue
accessing SNS under such situations? When we develop our digital identity and
personal information on the SNS, how can we keep a close watch on our informa-
tion in the mirror world? It sounds like monitoring for oneself by oneself. And if a
job hunter were to consider that the company that they were applying to would
check their personal information stored on the SNS, should they then change their
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