Thoughts on identity

One of these days I will get to actually go to Web 2.0,  the famous internet conference in San Francisco founded by Tim O’Reilly who originally coined the term “web 2.0”. Each year I promise myself I will go and each year things come up and somehow it never works out.

However, luckily they are far-sighted enough to post the presentations online so at least I can get a virtual update on the latest thinking.

I haven’t yet even had time to do even this, but one presentation I have seen – and which I think is very significant – is by Christopher Poole aka “moot”. Christopher was the founder of 4chan and of new startup Canvas.  He speaks very persuasively about the need for multiple identities online and criticises the push by Facebook and Google + to insist that we only have one facet to our personalities. I heartily recommend a quick look.