A person’s digital self is a strategically edited simulacrum, not a direct reflection

Evidence

Lifestreaming is the sum of a person’s digital parts, aggregated and monitored by others. The “digital self” that results is composed of particular types of information; it is a type of funhouse mirror, casting certain aspects of life into sharp relief but obscuring others. Lifestreamers can attempt to manage this self to create particular impressions, but the presence of a networked audience makes this challenging. Like self-branding, this management, if done “correctly,” requires frequent, ongoing emotional labor. The lifestream is not a direct reflection of a person, but a strategic, edited simulacrum, one specifically configured to be viewed by an audience. — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 547

Categorization

• DEFINE: Core definition of the digital self as funhouse mirror and edited simulacrum — essential field vocabulary for influencer culture studies.
• XREF: Directly builds on the self-branding concept from earlier Status Update chapters; also resonates with Goffman’s presentation of self and Erving Goffman’s front/back stage theory. — connects to: Aggregated digital traces reveal more than individuals intend and prompt greater self-editing — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 638; Others’ actions constrain a person’s curated online self-presentation — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 638; Self-branding normalizes surveillance and produces strategic, edited selves — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 721 (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Self-branding normalizes surveillance and produces strategic, edited selves #expands (0.85) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 721
• Personal branding online creates performative doppelgangers demanding constant attention #expands (0.82) — Naomi Klein, Doppelganger, 32
• Others’ actions constrain a person’s curated online self-presentation #qualifies (0.80) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 638
• Public selves require constant self-monitoring and self-editing labor #expands (0.80) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 633