What Does Gender Have to Do with Digital Identity?

How does gender affect our experience of the modern, digital world we live in? Online spaces reflect offline realities with the added consequences of permanence, a wider audience, and increased visibility.

We all have our different digital challenges and experiences but gender brings an added layer online just as it does offline. There are various privacy, security and digital identity issues, perceptions, and experiences related to the identified gender of the user which can have both personal and professional effects.

One of the benefits of technology and the internet is the provision of safe spaces and avenues for usually marginalized communities and persons to express themselves, find the information they need and even create their own platforms. Although the virtual world should be a space where everyone can have safe and pleasant experiences without being affected by the limitations, constraints, and challenges they face in real life, one of the identified problems of this space is that it is not usually designed with this in mind. [1]

It is important to think about how online spaces are impacted by gender norms and how this shapes interactions. Some frequently asked questions are:

• what do I need to know to protect myself online?
• should I use my real names and pictures?
• does my screen name identify my gender?
• should I create separate accounts for different uses so I can feel safer and more secure?
• what privacy settings should I use/be aware of?
• how would my online activity harm my reputation?
• can I really safeguard myself from these adverse effects?

 

How does gender affect your online experience?

As technology evolves, women and other marginalized groups increasingly report feeling unsafe, although some of this is beginning to change as women take control of their online activities and are increasingly becoming online creators. Studies show that they face a higher level of harassment and bullying online even as they seek to use these spaces to express themselves, connect with their communities, and get information. [2]

The complexity of identity and sexuality, and how social norms influence our behaviors, expectations, and possibilities is heightened by the role of social media in impacting our understanding of gender and sexuality. Social media can be a window of opportunity for learning about these aspects of identity, but also a means to reinforce stereotypes and create double standards concerning how people of different genders should behave. It is also important to note that online. Platforms now play a decisive role in the lives of young people, and in the development of new ways of expressing identity and sexuality. [3]

According to a report by the Pew Research Center, although women and men have been logging on in equal numbers since 2000, the vilest communications still disproportionately target women. They are more likely to be stalked and harassed on the Internet and sometimes face the added risk of this becoming physical. Where feminine usernames incurred an average of 100 sexually explicit or threatening messages a day, masculine names received 3.7. Of 3,787 people who reported harassing incidents from 2000 to 2012 to the volunteer organization Working to Halt Online Abuse, 72.5 percent were female. [4]

This does not mean that men are not also subject to online harassment, but the difference lies in the scale and type. Whereas men might be subject to name calling, derision, and physical threats, a study found that online, women are more than twice as likely as men to experience sexual harassment alongside all of those. More than half of women between the ages of 18 and 29 report having been sent sexually explicit images without their consent and this number continues to grow. [5] An important question starting to arise is how these are measured and disaggregated as gender norms evolve.

70% of women believe online harassment to be a major problem but not many know how to prevent it. Women are often targeted simply because they are women. Attacks are often sexualized or misogynistic, and rhetoric tends to focus on their bodies and sexual violence. This is both physically and emotionally damaging, and women are often intimidated into silence, preferring to disengage rather than put themselves at risk. [6]

Gender plays an important role in relation to how we choose to interact with one another, and it is often used to reinforce particular positions of power within social relationships. [7] In addition, the term gender includes the associations and meanings we attach to the behaviors, attributes, and feelings of men and women. Women are often expected to be “good girls” online, and to protect their privacy, modesty, and identity by not doing the “wrong things”. As the range of gender identities expand, this extends to them as well with certain expectations, monitoring and control mechanisms being imposed on non-traditional gender expression and identities.

The onus is also on them to tighten privacy and other settings, be cautious, secure, and aware about their online interactions. [8] As the Internet becomes increasingly central to the human experience, the ability to live and work freely online will be shaped, and too often limited, by the technology companies that host these threats, the constellation of local and federal law enforcement officers who investigate them, and the popular commentators who dismiss them. [9] Studies show that women are [10]:

• more concerned about privacy risks online than men
• more likely to keep their profiles private and delete unwanted contacts
• less likely to share political views and relationship status
• more concerned about risks posed by other users and third parties
• more likely to overthink and over-evaluate content before sharing

 

So, what can you do?

Answering these questions is not an easy task. Everyone takes a different approach and ultimately, the answer comes down to what is best for the user. There is no right or wrong approach to protecting your space, identity, and self when it comes to online engagement.

Very often, individuals decide to stop sharing personal, non-work-related information online. This could be viewed as self-censorship, however, this decision is often made because of the consequences of sharing this personal information and not because of a desire to not share at all. Others choose to remain active, counter, or not change based on their experiences. Also, as the Internet continues to evolve, more tips and tools for staying safe online emerge. Here a few resources:

1. The Modern Guide To Staying Safe Online
2. Cyber Safety: An Interactive Guide To Staying Safe On The Internet
3. Do-It-Yourself Online Safety Guide For Women — Why We Did It & Top Tips For Staying Safe
4. Tips For Women (By Women) On How To Stay Safe On And Offline
5. A DIY Guide To Feminist Cybersecurity: Take Control Of Your Digital Spaces.
6. Digital Security For Pakistani Women

The choice is yours, and will likely be shaped by the fact that different genders and people experience the Internet differently.

Do you think people of different genders experience the Internet differently? Why or why not?

How have your experiences online or been based on your gender?

Share your thoughts in the comment section.

---

Written by: Eseohe Ojo

Edited by: Samantha Summers