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4 Citations 30 References

nline Persona
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e) · June 2017 with 1,163 Reads

7vol3no1art658

on

Kim J Barbour
her Moore
6.68 · University of Adelaide

Twitter, and most of the digital media platforms that now form routine parts of our
Bolter (2000) anticipated that online activities would reshape how we understand
tity: a ‘networked self’, he noted, ‘is displacing Cartesian printed self as a cultural
p. 26). The twenty-first century has not only produced a proliferation and mass
platforms for the production of public digital identities, but also an explosion of
tigating the relationship between such identities and technology. These approaches
ssed on the relations between humans and their networks of other human
n neglecting the broader implications of what personas are and might be, and
of the non-human as part of social networks. In this introductory essay, we seek to
rk done so far to explore subjectivity and the public presentation of the self via
ologies, and contribute to these expanding accounts by providing a brief overview of
r to be five important dimensions of an online persona. In the following, we identify
five dimensions of persona as public, mediatised, performative, collective and
l value and, while we acknowledge that these dimensions are not exhaustive or
e certainly primary.

ld's research
embers
publications
ch projects

by Kim J Barbour Author content

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sona Studies 2017, vol. 3, no. 1

IVE DIMENSIONS OF ONLIN

C HR IS TO PH ER M O OR E, K I M B AR BO UR , A ND K A T

Before Facebook, Twitter, and most of the digital media platfor

ts of our online lives, Jay Bolter (2000) anticipated that online act
understand and produce identity: a ‘networked self’, he noted, ‘is
nted self as a cultural paradigm’ (2000, p. 26). The twenty-first cen
duced a proliferation and mass popularisation of platforms for th
ital identities, but also an explosion of scholarship investigating th
h identities and technology. These approaches have mainly focuss
ween humans and their networks of other human connections, oft
plications of what personas are and might be, and ignoring the rise
ocial networks. In this introductory essay, we seek to both trace t
plore subjectivity and the public presentation of the self via netwo
ntribute to these expanding accounts by providing a brief overview
e important dimensions of an online persona. In the following, we
e dimensions of persona as public, mediatised, performative, collec
ue and, while we acknowledge that these dimensions are not exha
certainly primary.
 Y NODES OF RESEARCH
The scope of research in this field is wide and varied, fruitfully
ciplinary perspectives. Here we trace only a handful of scholars an
ticular on work that is foundational or influential in our formulati
ine persona. Harrison Rainie and Barry Wellman (2012), for exam
tworked individualism’, which helps to acknowledge and account
ween online activity and the formation of subjectivity. They remin
hnologies, media platforms, and digital services are not isolated ob
are voraciously incorporated into the lives of individuals as part
emblage that is undergoing continuous revision, updates, and patc
nnections and exchange information with other people and other s
10) media and communication perspective presents us with anot
tworked self’, a term which she uses to indicate the construction o
oss multiple and simultaneous streams of social awareness that ex
entially reduces agency, and which requires constant self-surveill
Philosophers Alexander Galloway and Eugene Thacker (2007),
stalgia’ for a time when there was no need to produce quantitative
wing on the work of Alfred North Whitehead, Mark Hansen (2015
formance of subjectivity—human or nonhuman—there is a gener
eres within quantitative data; a “dispersal of agency across netwo
rker of the elemental character of contemporary media. According
culative philosophy, along with his insistence on the universality
a re-anchoring of human experience within media networks that
oupled from direct human perception, helps us to appreciate the i
mension of the “data-fied” experience:
...subjectivity acquires its power not because it incorporate
what is outside, but rather through its direct co-participation

Moore, Ba

polyvalent agency of myriad subjectivities. Our disti

subjectivity is the result of a complex assemblage of over
variant microsubjectivities functioning distinctly and autonom
2015, p. 12).
nsen draws on Whitehead’s speculative approach and metaphysic
understanding of the neutrality of subjective qualities as being po
orising the everyday experience of digital, networked and social m
Other key researchers, such as Nancy Baym, have examined ho
ms of communication accelerate new constitutions of “personal co
ym’s work on digital identity draws on Donath’s (2007) useful not
rks to locate social position within an information-saturated socie
 rks to locate social position within an information-saturated socie
mplates as a case study, Laurie McNeill’s work (2012) has explored
n-human and human components in producing online autobiograp
e Rak (2014) offer a similar orientation of a networked identity w
obiographical studies in Identity Technologies: Constructing the Se
lection that argues such technologies are a fundamental part of th
ntemporary era. These writers and thinkers, among others, have a
nsidering the construction of identity within a technologically dive
gun to examine how the individual is intimately connected to the p
ves within online culture, through digital connections to social ins
worked organisations of everyday life that are fundamentally diffe
ore.
Absent from these discussions, however, is persona and yet pe
and interface for the movement of the individual into online activit
s journal noted (Marshall and Barbour 2015), it is these very activ
ntemporary ‘proliferation of personas for both presentation and st
ssive scale (2015, p. 1): ‘persona-making as a practice’, we noted,
15, p.9). Across the various contributions to this journal since the
en up persona as a critical lens through which to understand iden
formances in online contexts. The five dimensions of online perso
blic, the mediatised, the performative, the collective, and intention
rk and, we contend, form a productive means for understanding th
ntity in the contemporary era.
e Public Dimension of Online Persona
Publicness is the first dimension of contemporary online perso
sts a lingering sense of early-to-mid 1990s utopian ‘net’ philosoph
course about anonymity and freedom afforded by early internet te
periences and web forums, much of the obscurity between a user’s
ine selves has been obliterated over the past decade. The eradicat
ieved by the ‘real name’ requirements and end user license agreem
vices, social media terms of service contracts, and the ubiquitous p
cking cookies. This trend has been strengthened with government
abled state surveillance, resulting in an online experience that is al
me way. The user of a web-enabled service—from wearable techno
p-based experience which incorporates a Google search query, or p
most always an extension into a wider public. Rainie and Wellman
ividuals at the centre of what Marshall (2013), and Barbour et al.
cro-publics’, the extended social network of the individual that inc
fessional associates, plus their networks, and the systems and pla

sona Studies 2017, vol. 3, no. 1

This approach advocates for taking into consideration all the tech
’s and the physical as well as digital infrastructure that encapsula
worked identity
 worked identity.
This first dimension of an online persona is comprised of a par
ctrum of ‘publicness’ and at each point along its traversal exists th
m a small public of close and intimate friends to a massive and glo
abled by the act of sharing. This potentiality parallels the historica
he public self such as when celebrities and stars start out perform
dience, but later attain a larger audience as they become more pop
ectory gives us insights into the dynamics of online persona creat
icipates this shift from small to larger scale publics.
In this industrial model of the individual, the public self is the ‘
ebrity offers up to the world, a highly polished, scheduled and con
duced and performed for launches, premieres, speaking engagem
diated promotions, appearances, and events. High-profile celebrit
ms of publicity assistants and staff that work to maintain consiste
ause, as Turner, Bonner, and Marshall (2000) note, the celebrities
uld add) are “commodities, produced to be marketed in their own
rket other commodities. The celebrity’s ultimate power is to sell th
mselves” (2000, p. 12). Organisations, brands, institutions and com
ve this public-facing dimension of their online persona with teams
eratives conducting licensed online persona management, and a ra
asi-official public selves connected to these identities. Celebrities, b
all especially important public figures because of their pedagogic
dentify new aspects of agency and risk. In the past, the media gate
ve relegated figures like Kim Kardashian to tabloid notoriety, but t
vided by control over the public presentation of the self online ha
lt on careful management from her initial public notice (through t
o a fashion, music, marketing, and promotional career. As Marshal
ebrities act as pedagogical markers providing replicable framewor
blic presentation of the self. This mediatised identity is organised t
mmercial applications, networks and platforms, which is not only s
the individual, but becomes a source for information harvesting, a
mmercial sharing (Marshall 2015).
ediatised Dimension of Persona
The mediatised dimension of persona follows on from the first
an expression of the self. This is not a new phenomenon: individua
mselves via communication technologies in perpetuity from rock
d letters, to ham radio call signs, autobiographies, and social media
ntemporary assemblage of persona now combines multiple media
fie requires mobile screens, cameras, digital image compression al
mmunication across wireless or telecommunication carrier signals
ions of daily social media users, across Facebook, WeChat, Twitter
monstrate an unparalleled scope of skills and degree of comfortab
diatisation and express unprecedented levels of actual and potent
rshall 2015; 2016; 2017). Mediated persona operates under the m
erest and corporately governed structures that individuals have b
ny in the hope of sharing in the benefits of a widely proliferating s
y the province of individuals in film, television, print, and radio. Th
ctices of the mediated public often conflict, but they also mirror th

3
 Moore, Ba

once dominant ‘press,’ such as Facebook and Instagram’s ban on

w in this mediatisation of the self, however, is the naturalisation of
negotiation between the personal, corporate, and institutional ag
Celebrity is an important pedagogical firmament in the relation
ir extra-textual dimensions of mediatised public identity, which is
ects, part of the primary work of the actor. Whether stage actress
evision presenter, news anchor, or Hollywood A-lister, actors unde
uctured construction and presentation of the self for the purpose o
t of the theatre, show, or movie text being offered for consumption
rk of professional performance and the products of marketing and
atextual components to their public identity (see Naremore 1991
nic roles of actors like Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, Scarlett Johanss
mple, are also paratextual components of their star celebrity pers
ratological theory of Gerard Genette (1997), paratexts are liminal
e red-carpet poses, characteristic facial attributes, Instagram habi
m a threshold of meaning between text and audience. Genette des
erogeneous practices and discourses acting as thresholds between
dience. The mediatised identities of online persona are formed by
atexts over time; appearances at film festivals and award ceremon
portant paratextual mediatisation of celebrity identity. These para
formers use their identities to proselytise themselves and the pro
oming visible as a mediatised figure, via traditional media distribu
d more personal social media platforms. Affect is naturalised in thi
ough individualised platform paratexts including likes, favourites,
rthermore we are witness to the massive proliferation of dedicated
mediation of traditional broadcast media paratexts (editing metho
d other mise-en-scene) that are formed through meta-mediatisatio
uTube and TwitchTV.
rformative Dimension of Persona
Just as the mediatisation follows on from the public elements o
formativity, the third dimension is also essential requirement and
present a publicly mediated persona, we must perform our identit
nder, and effectuate our tastes, interests, and networks of connecti
mmenting on posts, liking other’s contributions or framing a selfie
es not make claims about the ‘real’, or a self that is somehow less p
more complete in some underlying way. The public performance o
al’ nor entirely ‘fictional’. The accomplishment of performativity m
nnects together and meshes all the various characteristics that are
everyday and intended to interact with others.
Erving Goffman (1959, 1971) documented what can be unders
terns of performativity and accounted for the methods of impress
nagement within a dramaturgical model of the presentation of the
ween the public ‘front stage’ and the private ‘backstage’. Goffman
derstanding of the degree to which we all present ‘faces’ and act ou
en situation and its expectations. The performance of self varies b
es from parent to employee friend to a colleague teacher to stude
es, from parent to employee, friend to a colleague, teacher to stude
al’ or ‘fictional’ than the others. As Papacharissi (2010) observed, a
formed self and the performed self of others, can quickly become
n becomes routine, creating and then normalising a narrative of e
en situation: in an earlier editorial Lee (2015) explored this patter

sona Studies 2017, vol. 3, no. 1

work contexts. We come to rely on this patterning of interaction, b

er to help regulate and make predictable our networks of interact
ages of family shared via Facebook are going to be liked by the ext
d familiar relations, while news stories relevant to our given profe
leagues and peers, and that there may be some overlap occurring
pending on proximity, familiarity, and so on. Social media and mob
enough for us to understand that different generations of users h
proaches to the performativity of the self that may appear to blur t
this merely reminds us that the methods of performing the self ar
yd 2010).
Judith Butler’s (1999) approach to gender extended the notion
formativity and our understanding of the degree to which core ele
constructed for and by us. Butler’s model contests the idea that g
nate’ to a fiction or a projection that is applied to and by individual
gotiating their public selves through an articulation of power. She
sentational quality of (gendered) identity is neither biologically d
duced, but rather both enabled and constrained by the institution
d cultures in which the public self is assembled and performed. Pe
nsidered in Speech Act theory (see Austin 1975, Berns 2014 (whos
ter), Marshall 2017), which considers speaking as a component of
formance of speech—whether verbal, physical, textual or otherwi
vement of identity in action and interpretation, and this theoretica
tured in ethnographic and anthropological discussions of identity
The Habermasian interpretation of the ‘lifeworld’ (1987) is als
understanding the performance of the public self online. For Haber
bodies the symbolic reproduction of society, thus the lifeworld of
mprised of media platforms, mobile technologies, multiple commu
des of behaviour. To perform the lifeworld is to wrangle these ele
self across a diverse range of structures, institutions, technical pe
ges. This doesn’t necessarily need to be a complicated exercise of o
nts to the simplified performance and naturalised ideology of the
9), which has become so normalised in our everyday performanc
to a new app, social media service, or online video game world. Hi
formance of gender, height, age, profession, location, attitude, and
rely ritualised as result of the limited options available to users in
e performative dimension of persona marks a high degree of agenc
sentation of the self online, but this agency is inevitably contested
h h f i i f i l di h i di id l
ough the performativity of presentational media that individuals a
d even “seduced” into more elaborate constructions of public prese
awn into a performativity that operates as a continuous marketin
arshall, 2010, np). The acts of performing the self online are so div
k and choose the aspects of the role that best suits their intended p
15), but this performance is a balancing act between multiple regis
sonal and intimate to the public and professional, and must be car
main sincere and authentic.
llective Dimension of Persona
The fourth dimension of persona is one that works to produce,
ween connections, resulting in a collective. This dimension is obse
ial media (see boyd & Ellison 2007) as persona is mediated and th
oss the connections and networks that users manage via services

Moore, Ba

ticipation in these online networks results in multiple publics tha

m the public associated with traditional broadcast media or politic
individual 'part' of a collective, but rather the individual is connec
king the collective dimension of persona a meta-collective comp
ividual is a node, but they are also simultaneously orbiting nodes
mplex overlapping of networks, however, can still be thought of as
ich is the user's persona.
This networking of activity from friends and followers across a
ercommunicating networks can be described as a ‘micro-public’ (M
2014). Similar to the notion of a ‘personal public’ (Schmidt 2013),
blic is one that takes into account the practices of social media suc
diated expression in the forms of personal images, memes, likes, a
ercommunication between micro-public activities occur as part of
mmunication of the self, where self-mediations are linked to self-p
ltiple platforms, sites, and services (Marshall 2015). Take, for exam
ich is framed using an internet-connected device and distributed v
h their own, possibly overlapping audience. Instagram is designed
ering the user the capacity to send the image to Facebook, Twitter
he point of self-publication. Micro-publics have a tremendous por
er networks effortlessly and with often unpredictable and unfores
The concept of micro-public is crucial to persona studies as a c
collective dimensions of online persona and the ways that groups
works have become central to contemporary cultures. Micro-publ
various other interactions by researchers including Theresa Senft
13) and Alice Marwick and danah boyd (2011), where the term se
hlight a new duality. Personas can tap into a potentially massive a
s, hundreds, thousands and even millions of individual followers,
l l k bl f
 ssively personal network. Micro-publics are micro, not in terms of
nature of the network that is regularly and privately updated by a
blic is attached to a unique persona that is personally producing, r
adcasting in the tradition of previously dominant media institutio
blic a quasi-public network. To grapple fully with the emergence o
k closely at the strong connections between individuals and the m
blics to which they are central. Twitter is an important platform fo
example, Twitter is heavily relied on by journalists to develop fol
nnections to listeners, viewers, and readers who may never visit or
blications. Similarly, the public personas of such journalists are no
outs of representational culture, but living and breathing presenta
ect and often unfiltered connections their audiences. The dynamic
mplicated by the friending and following relationship that amplifie
ween author and audience (or celebrity and fan, politician and vot
ntributed new interpersonal dimensions to cultural expression, go
nsumption. We can see this emerge in what Marshall (2014) descr
ercommunication industries which service micro-publics, both ma
popular artists and those smaller but equally vibrant and successf
ependent operators who are still central to their own networks an
rant, and active followings. Professional social media sites such as
ademia.edu are examples of platforms which service the operation
d management. Public persona emerges from and across these pre
d their micro-publics intercommunicatively, forcing a renewed foc
utation (Barbour & Marshall 2012). The very complex constructio
blics intersects with larger and well-established media and commu
6

sona Studies 2017, vol. 3, no. 1

duce powerful cultural tropes, which contribute to a new orientat

ich can be seen in the last dimension of online persona.
lue Dimension of Persona
The final dimension of persona that we discuss here relates to
t value is dependent on agency, reputation, and prestige. Collectiv
arshall 2016), this dimension recognises that personas are created
ention. The intent to create personas can vary from the personal o
ilitate personal or familial relationships) to the professional (more
public (produced by those who wish to claim a level of fame or no
ed to the original intention which led to their creation, but rather s
formance (Barbour 2014), a process that is facilitated by the med
sona production.
In that recognition of the intent behind persona production is e
he agency involved. Although working within the affordances and
wer structures, and social and cultural norms, those producing per
ive and important decisions in how they perform that persona to t
sk of persona is adopted through its performance and the person
 sk of persona is adopted through its performance, and the person
ough which other ‘things’ can be achieved. The production of netw
ions of the producer(s) of the persona, and members of those netw
ntribute to that persona through their choices and actions. Para-te
ing’, or sharing particular content, are active contributions to a pu
ntity, and demonstrate the importance of the choices we make wh
How we understand the value of the personas we produce can
derstand the significance of the reputation those personas maintai
y be emphasised in online spaces to produce a particular type of r
nducted into the aspirational nature of online identity performanc
tchravesringkan & McCabe 2005; Zhao, Grasmuck & Martin 2008;
pears to support the idea that aspirational characteristics are often
orporated into an offline persona, even if they were initially exagg
not see online personas as necessarily ‘fake’, this could be underst
ke it ‘til you make it’.
The prestige associated with the persona is significant in that i
ant on, the previous elements of this dimension (value, agency, re
er dimensions of persona explicated above. The prestige associate
derstood by those who create them - is bestowed by the persona’s
t prestige itself relies on widespread positive affirmation means th
ger micro-public to provide that affirmation would certainly influe
sona could be considered to be (or consider themselves to be). Ho
online persona creation, size of micro-public is relative: producing
sona for an admiring extended family group may be felt as prestig
other may be dissatisfied with an enthusiastic Twitter following nu
housands. Here, we return to ideas of agency and intent: when the
tain others through a persona, the value of that persona will be m
ieve that aim.

Moore, Ba

THIS ISSUE

Through this journal, we have continued our original project to

mprehending, analysing, and critiquing persona” (Marshall & Barb
en issue, the papers attend to this project in distinct and fascinatin
In ‘”Get Off My Internets”: How Anti-Fans Deconstruct Lifestyle
rk,’ Sarah McRae examines how communities of ‘anti-fans’ coalesc
ferent lifestyle bloggers. These communities, McRae’s research dem
entive to the persona performances of the bloggers, and actively m
henticity is performed according to ever shifting constructions of
In ‘The persona in autobiographical game-making as a playful p
fan Werning introduces us to the niche but growing genre of autob
ese games, his work suggests, make quite literal the playful possib
nstruction and performance within the constraints and affordance
tforms. Such playfulness extends to both game-makers, who desig
be occupied, amended, and played, and for gamers who take up a
sonas.
Patrick Osborne’s ‘Constructing the Antichrist as Superstar: Ma
chanics of Eschatological Narrative’ focuses on construction of Ma
sona as an ‘Antichrist’ in the 1990s and the crucial role that Christ
ological frameworks played in not only crafting that persona, but
d value. The persuasiveness and popularity of Manson’s persona, O
ch to that backlash.
In ‘The Hyphenated Persona: Aidan Quinn’s Irish-American Per
des us through how ‘Irish-Americanness’ has been performed acro
d how it continues to be performed in American contexts today. Us
dy, Goff’s work emphases not only the flexibility and the multiplic
formances, but also their strategic commercial and affective value
propriate venues to certain publics.
The creative practice contribution to this issue comes from Ana
dgett. Their work of hypertext literature – part social media exper
oose your own adventure – embeds the reader/player in the US Tw
al months of 2016 and January 2017. The work explores the every
r in this time, challenging and discomforting the reader/player as
h the online space trigger responses in the form of changing follow
eractions with colleagues and strangers. In inhabiting the persona
cific moment in recent history, the artists challenge us to think ab
sona creation impacts on, and is impacted by, other embodied pre
Across this issue, we can trace a recurring interest in the role o
construction of the persona. While not all of these contributions a
h the formation and function of such networks and connections in
entive to the thresholds marking persona, performance, and publi
namic interplay between these constituents. Such play is quite lite
d Salter and Blodgett’s creative work which highlight how publics
tforms, not only encouraged to interact with personas but play co
duction and performance. We are reminded by these works of the
thresholds that mark and distinguish personas and publics, and t
d play that is possible on such platforms. Goff’s work on the mobili

sona Studies 2017, vol. 3, no. 1

d the multiplicity of publics that make and take meaning from such
ful reminder as well that publics are not just porous but overlapp
t transverses such publics is a dynamic, mobile, and inherently fle
performing and signalling differently as needed.
Such mobility is, in Quinn’s case, an asset with clear commercia
style bloggers, McRae’s work points out, such flexibility and incon
e community of ‘anti-fans’ that McRae investigates are highly critic
de inconsistent performances as hypocrisy and inauthenticity. Yet,
signalling authenticity are always on the move, the lifestyle blogg
d shift their performances. As with the Christian publics who took
formative nature of persona and its capacity to operate as neither
es flattened out by critical publics oriented by an agenda to evalua
nson’s case to make his persona performance ‘real’ gives life to th
asurable, stable ‘threat’ against which they can work; in the case o
i-fans arbitrate what are real and what are faked performances. A
y a desire for a correspondence between performance and ‘real w
ountability. To hold Manson or lifestyle bloggers accountable for t
nowledge their agency and strategy, but it is also a practice that, a
dicated upon publics marking firm thresholds between persona a
positional stance in that network, and presuming an authority that
ralising in its execution. As both Osborne and McRae demonstrate
ily overlook the complexities of the networks that bind personas a
ticular, the capacity of the publics to play roles in persona produc
When we are mindful of these collectives and networks and the
hin and through them, and attentive to the performances, the med
chanisms of acquiring and distributing value through persona, as
s inevitable that we consider as well the structural and structuring
ndition and constrain the person production and performance. In h
obiographical games, Werning is attentive to how the technologic
tforms and game-maker designed limitations (in behaviour, disco
ucture to the play. McRae’s work looks to the structuring role of ge
formance but also, crucially, how publics orient themselves and re
formances. In both Goff and Osborne’s work, the structures are id
able of summoning publics into networks of relations with person
viding particular and rigid scripts that condition the interplay bet
The structures that condition persona are crucial consideration
careful, rapidly overwhelm or overdetermine how we make sens
haps, habituated to discussions of the constraint and affordances
dia platforms in the production of public digital identities. In this a
e clear dimensions of online persona that can be useful in assisting
sentation of the public self. While we acknowledge these dimensio
ue for their usefulness as a way of considering relationships betw
ital identities.
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References (30)

kes the persona developed by researchers such as P. David Marshall (2010Marshall ( ,

the focus towards interaction rather than presentation. The use of persona in this
ltiple facets ( Moore et al. 2017 ) that create complex social interactions, which in
cept analytical use ( ). In particular, persona can be crafted into a methodological tool,
by , but instead of focusing on presentation of a public self, the approach here
e interactions that occur through different forms of digital media. ...

mes: Constructing an identity through complex player/character relationships

vailable

ct

e know, is not in this sense particular: such movement into and through online
on d' être of social media platforms and Instagram's particular contribution is
le of visual media in that project. Like other platforms, Instagram also has a
anging spectrum of publicness" ( Moore et al 2017 ) wherein users might operate
nd regulated publics but have opportunities to broaden that scope and enter (and
 public audience. The role and function of the hashtag has been much discussed in
m et al. 2017;Leaver 2015, 2016; Leaver and Highfield 2018) yet of particular interest
a work that is done when hashtags move Instagram users beyond their micro-publics
o broader publics, and signal a desire to not only contribute to and participate in
ations, but mark and legitimise specific archives and taxonomies. ...

arch: An Instagram Case Study

vailable

istopher Moore · Kim J Barbour

ct

e them? Meat consumers’ reactions to online farm animal welfare activism in Australia

Heather Bray · Rachel A. Ankeny

ct

ocial Media Profiles

vailable

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