QotW5: Is that the real “you” shopping?
What is an online identity?An online identity is a way for other users in an established network to identify or recognize a user. The main purpose is to differentiate one user from another and also allows users to note how the member contributes to that network. Just like our identity cards that are used for recognition purposes in real life, our online identities help other users identify us and allow a community of users to recognize which members belong to their clan. The only difference is we do not really know who that member is in real life as an online identity can be faked.
While we cannot change our identity in real life, as our physical selves are tangible, we can choose to be anything in our online identity. As succinctly summarized by Wikipedia:
“Although some people prefer to use their real names online, most Internet users prefer to identify themselves by means of pseudonyms, which reveal varying amounts of personally identifiable information. In some online contexts, including Internet forums, MUDs, instant messaging, and massively multiplayer online games, users can represent themselves visually by choosing an avatar, an icon-sized graphic image. As other users interact with an established online identity, it acquires a reputation, which enables them to decide whether the identity is worthy of trust.” (“Online identity”, 2007).
Is that “You” shopping?
One area where online identities are commonly used is that of online auctions. While some people use their real names for their User Identification (UserID), this is not very advisable as packages that are sent out tend to have the seller’s address (a return address is required in case of a failed delivery) and this could mean that the seller would be easy to track down. Thus, most savvy users tend to use pseudonyms to buy or sell online.
The use of
an avatar, a pseudonym and the user's reputation
on Yahoo! Auctions
On Yahoo! Auctions, users can now place avatars near their user names to visually identify themselves. Most of the avatars on Yahoo! Auctions are a thumbnail sized icon of either a male or a female to allow buyers to see whom they are buying from or sellers to see who is buying from them. Yet, this does not necessarily mean that an avatar of a female equals to a real female user as the Internet allows users to hide behind a cloak of anonymity and the freedom to choose an identity that they want.
Reputation, Reputation, Reputation!!!
In online auctions, a user’s reputation is established via the ratings system. The rating system works by having both parties leave positive, negative or neutral comments to the ones engaged in a transaction. A smooth transaction will mean that both parties will leave positive comments on each other's page and will be rated as a "Good" buyer/seller. A terrible transaction will mean that both parties will leave negative comments about the transaction and why each party deserved a "Bad" rating. A "Neutral" comment does not leave any impact on the rating of the user. A higher rating with little or even no negative comments means that the seller/buyer is a trustworthy one. As shown in the picture below, though the seller, bratzplace, had 3 “Bad” ratings, she had 1451 “Good” comments from other users. Furthermore, she has earned a trustworthy reputation as a seller, seeing that she has many customers who have continually bought from her.
User's ratings = Reputation on Yahoo! Auctions
What makes online auctions unique is that you do not really need to know the online identity of the buyer/seller in order to engage in a transaction with the user. Donath (1996) noted that knowing the identity of those with whom you communicate is essential for understanding and evaluating an interaction. However, this is not necessarily the case in online auctions since only the online identity of the user can be seen. The reputation of the user that one is dealing with is in fact, more crucial, as money and goods are exchanged without knowing the real identity of the user on the other end of the transaction. Furthermore, effective communication takes precedence over knowing one’s online identity.
Seeing Double … elbuoD gnieeS
While it is possible to copy an identity of someone similar, it is almost impossible to assume the same identity as a popular or well-reputed seller. Yahoo! Auctions ensures that the UserID of the person does not match someone else’s and this occurs when an account is being created. This is a similar situation when we sign up for an email account. A message would usually say something along the lines of “this UserID is taken, please choose another” and the email service would provide other similar IDs with numbers at the end. For example, if I wanted the ID “hot_hunk” and if that was taken, I would have to choose others provided such as “hot_hunk15” or “hot_hunk69”.
Hence, it is quite difficult to assume another’s identity on online auctions, as the service requires one to sign up for an account with different user identifications (IDs) to differentiate users.
Phishing... is the catch of the day!
However, the other way to assume someone’s chosen identity is to have access into that user’s account. One method is by “phishing”, where it is a type of deception designed to steal your valuable personal data, such as credit card numbers, passwords, account data, or other information (Microsoft, 2006). A user logs in into an identical page set up by hackers and with the available information, the hackers could easily log into the user’s account and change the password and secret question so that its original owner would be declined access to his/her account. The hacker could then wreck havoc by using that account to bid on items and not pay, leading to negative ratings left on the user’s account. Thus, users should be careful when logging on to their accounts and check that the page has anti-phising ware. In Yahoo!’s case, a sign- in seal consisting of a picture or a text seal could be uploaded to the user’s account before logging in. This sign-in seal is only accessible through that particular computer so as to deter “phishing” activities.
Yahoo!'s Sign-In Seal
Online banking is also a popular service that most auctioneers use to pay for their purchases. Banks have to think a step ahead of phishers as services involving money are highly susceptible to phishing and fraudulent activities. Banks such as DBS iBanking have introduced a second layer of security. This second factor authentication (2FA) uses a security device that generates a unique dynamic security PIN to act as the 2FA for validation and authentication purposes.
Use this to access your DBS iBank!
While there are no foolproof methods to ensure that no one will assume one’s online identity, one should be vigilant in handing out personal information online and also check to see that the page is encrypted and is up to date. Never enter personal information into suspicious looking websites that offers “too good to be true” contests and be wary of emails or anyone asking for your credit card number or passwords online.
Donath, J.S. (1996) “Identity and Deception in the Virtual Community” Retrieved February 16, 2007 from http://smg.media.mit.edu/people/Judith/Identity/IdentityDeception.html
Online identity. (2007, February 15). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved February 18, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Online_identity&oldid=108207999
Microsoft (2006, September 14). Recognize phishing scams and fraudulent e-mails (Article posted on web site Microsoft Corporation). Retrieved February 18, 2007, from http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/email/phishing.mspx
.: This entry was awarded the Special Mention for Week 5! :.
1 comment:
Nice deconstruction of Yahoo! Auctions in terms of online identity and reputation. Also intersting solution provided, such as the use of physical ID tokens for secured transactions. Full grades awarded :)
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