- 11/08/2023
- Category: Commentaries
Author: Firya Q. Abisono
Editor: M. Perdana Karim
Technology innovations have had an enormous impact on communication progress. The existence of technology promotes the exchange of information without the requirement for meetings in person. Applications in this internet era not only connect individuals who already know each other, but they can also be used to meet new people and make new relationships. A dating application is one of the programs that allows us to meet new people and even have intimate relationships. Dating apps are examples of computer-mediated communication (CMC), which has the advantage of minimizing verbal and asynchronous signals, allowing users to “form themselves as they wish” or execute selective self-presentations (Gibbs, 2006).
Dating app users are, of course, vying to promote themselves in the form of a virtual identity in order to find a future partner. Through strategic self-presentation, dating app users attempt to show themselves as more appealing or even closer to ‘their ideal selves’ (Wandasari, 2019). It would be quite interesting to observe how this dating application might help its users create a new virtual identity.
Creating New Ideal Selves
Wandasari (2019) defines self-presentation as a practice that attempts to transmit information and an image of oneself to others. In social life, self-presentation is ubiquitous. Individuals will attempt to manipulate the surrounding environment, looks, and behavior in order to control or influence the impressions of others (Ward 2016). Users of dating apps will strive to portray themselves as perfect and appealing.
When using a dating app, having a great self-presentation is essential. Previous studies found that self-presentation in cyberspace is static since it simply verbally or visually represents a person’s look, but self-presentation in the actual world is more dynamic and realistic (Toma, 2010; Jacobson et al., 2016). Therefore, in order to present themselves on a dating app profile, users must be able to create the best image of themselves on that profile.
Before getting to know someone and moving on to a more serious relationship, profiles on dating apps are the first and primary way to present oneself to possible partners (Ellison, Heino, & Gibbs, 2006). It is also suggested that individuals investigate self-presentation tactics in order to achieve their goal of finding an ideal partner. This technique revolves mostly around profiles, which are essential self-presentation tools.
Tinder, for example, has become one of the most popular dating apps in the world. Before beginning the conversation process, Tinder users can submit their own profiles. Tinder users may post profiles that contain their name, age, a short bio of up to 500 words, a photo, occupation, and gender. Furthermore, Tinder is a geo-location-based program that may adjust to its users’ location with a maximum distance restriction of 100 miles (Fadilah, 2019).
Users of dating apps can locate mates by displaying virtual identities and interacting online before meeting in person. In other words, the information on the profile is under the user’s control. A Tinder user, for example, may submit a variety of information to their possible companion in the form of photographs and words.
Dating apps enable their users to establish and show identities that differ from their real-world identities. The physical separation between users makes it easy to conceal offline identities and affix online identities, which, according to Goffman, are a reflection of the “separation” of one’s character during interactions when one’s self is divided (Wandasari, 2019).
New Virtual Identity on Dating App
This dating app’s identity is referred to as a virtual identity. A person’s virtual identity, or online identity, is their appearance in cyberspace, where they are free to decide what they want to be in the virtual world. Therefore, the degree of truth of the identity is extremely low and can change according to the individual’s preferences (Kokswijk, 2006; Gasa, 2018). As a result, we must exercise caution when constructing our actual identity alongside our virtual identity, and we must also consider the consequences of not aligning our real identity and virtual identity (Rangga, 2018).
However, in the process of creating virtual identities in dating apps, some users continue to enter deceptive data in their dating app profiles, such as lying about their age, physical appearance, job, income, and even relationship status (Blackhart et al., 2014; Wandasari, 2019). When addressing manipulation and identity among dating app users, Blackwell (2015, Wandasari 2019) stated that persons who meet online are typically different when they meet offline.
Dating apps serve as basically self-promotional platforms; users may simply update themselves to look more appealing (Jacobson et al., 2016). In reality, dating apps allow people to say anything they want to portray themselves. However, there are no ethical criteria to determine whether or not what they say is truthful. So it becomes an important question whether dating app scams can be detected before meeting potential partners in person. (Toma, 2012; Jacobson et al., 2016).
Even if such dating app platforms allow users to submit profiles with visual or nonverbal information, it is still challenging to verify identity and create trust since people are isolated from their words and actions in future contacts (Konjin et al., 2008; Fadillah, 2019). Someone can manipulate the photos they show or even use photos from other individuals on their profile. Furthermore, because dating apps lack clear standards, they may be used to manipulate one’s self-image in a more manipulative way than face-to-face conversation. As a result, spotting fraud on dating apps is a huge challenge. Dating app users are increasingly concerned about being deceived by false information on other profiles. Which complicates the process of creating strong and honest connections. People frequently depict themselves as their ideal selves, or as they wish they would be in the future, rather than as they were at the time of creating their profile.
References
Ellison, N., Heino, R., & Gibbs, J. (2006). Managing impressions online: Self-presentation processes in the online dating environment. Journal Of Computer-Mediated Communication, 11(2), 415-441, doi: 10.1111/j.1083-6101.2006.00020.x.
Fadilah, N. (2019). Strategi pengelolaan kesan dalam komunikasi hyperpersonal pengguna tinder (skripsi). Universitas Diponogoro, Semarang, Indonesia
Gasa, H. (2018). Virtual Identity: False Identity?. Diakses 3 April 2019, dari https://binus.ac.id/malang/2018/07/virtual-identity-false-identity/.
Jacobson, L., Atkinson, A., Mohamed, L., & Dorr, J. (2016). Singles Looking to Mingle: An Analysis of Self-Presentation in Online Dating. Concordia Journal of Communication Research, 3(1), 1.
Rangga. K. A. (2018). Real Identity Vs. Virtual Identity. Diakses 3 April 2019, dari https://communication.binus.ac.id/2018/01/09/real-identity-vs-virtual-identity/.
Sari, W.P., & Kusuma, R. S. (2018). Presentasi diri dalam kencan online pada situs dan aplikasi setipe dan tinder. MediaTor , 11 (2), 155-164, doi: 10.29313/mediator.v11i2.3829
Wandasari, E. (2019). Presentasi diri janda di situs kencan online tinder: studi kasus pada pengguna tinder di kota bandung (skripsi), Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandung IndonesiaWard, J. (2016). Swiping, matching, chatting: Self-presentation and self-disclosure on mobile dating apps. Human IT: Journal for Information Technology Studies as a Human Science, 13(2), 81-95.
