My use of new/digital media just went through a massive shift of focus--as a teen, I used anonymous internet sites like Tumblr and AO3 to express parts of my personality I considered too intensely private for analogue interactions. In an attempt to express integral identity components without worrying about the reactions of my parents and/or peers, I poured my deepest secrets into the void of the internet. As I've matured, the barriers between my internet life and my real life have broken down considerably.
Sundén's exploration of the immaterial freedoms of internet rings true to me. I used the barrier between physical and digital to craft a psychological dumping ground for unspeakable and unresolved issues that I was able to eventually work through. My online identities weren't necessarily the catalyst for my developments, but they certainly provided a useful ground for trying out my private ideals. Now, my social media presence is an extension of my physical self. I participate in social media like Boyd's "bedroom culture." It is an expression of interests and opinions, and that's where the depth of my media presence stops. There is a certain amount of personal congruency at play with my social platform choice. Instead of hidden blogs and secret libraries, I actively use Facebook and Instagram. I no longer hide myself. I simply act online as I would in real life, posting the stuff I am comfortable sharing with the world, and reserving other content for the people who have earned the right to hear it.
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