ABSTRACT
Anonymity can be ensured online in two main ways: firstly, in that people can use usernames or nicks rather than their actual names; and, secondly, that they reveal fewer of the social cues conveyed through handwriting, accent or appearance. This chapter shows two almost contradictory concerns: those involving the effect of anonymity on social behaviour and those centring on the use of the internet for egocentric self-promotion. The participants in the Internet Relay Chat (IRC) chatroom are simulating a party, and in particular the smoking of a joint. Their performance highlights two seemingly contradictory concerns about individual identity in the age of social media. Selfies illustrate the apparent selfabsorption of internet users who are obsessed with creating and managing their own image. The chapter explores some issues in relation to the selfie and other relevant forms of digital communication: webcam and the status update.
