Siibak, Andra, juhendajaLaos, JürgenTartu Ülikool. SotsiaalteaduskondTartu Ülikool. Ajakirjanduse ja kommunikatsiooni osakond2010-10-212010-10-212007http://hdl.handle.net/10062/15662Under research were virtual identity users, who owned also a fake or parallel identity. Research was conducted in two phases. First, there was a questionnaire and for second interviews with selected users. Questionnaire was limited one hundred portal users, who were using fake- or parallel identity, and ten interviewees were selected from the answers of questionnaire, but they had to fit agegroup from 14 to 18 years. 52% of questionnaires were answered and from them 58% testified using fake- or parallel identity and 85% knew someone who has or had a fake identity. Relied to answers could be concluded, that selection was sufficient. From background check of users, who did not testify using fake identity, revealed that accounts that copied famous people or shortly used or impolitely named accounts were not considered as fakes. Reasons for that could be two, fake account is not considered as account at all, or fake identity that comes with that account is not considered for real existent, and therefore related to users “me”. Many research subjects tried to distance their own personal identity and fake identity behaving in the way that they thought it could be impossible to relate fake account to their own. Even unconcerned action to deleting their fake identity showed marks of their distance between fake and real identity. They did not care about those, but tried to protect and were concerned what could happen to their real identity. When asked, how would they react when someone used their personal data or picture to make a fake account, then nine people out of ten felt it not proper and would react active, therefore feeling strong relation with their real identity. Between fake identity and playfulness is a strong connection, fake identity is created to conceal real identity, to play a joke on others or to communicate with certain person, to irritate or to check him or her out. Socialization process is influenced through playfulness, and therefore also identity creation (Furth, 1996). From gathered answers could be deduced, that users do not testify personal relations with fake useraccounts in rate.ee portal, and thereby to account given identity, but subconsciously acknowledge identityconnections through playfulness.application/pdfH Social Sciences (General)bakalaureusetöödinfoühiskondsotsiaalne veebvõrgusuhtlusnooredidentiteetInternetsuhtlemineThesis