The Internet Construct

Sascha Baron Cohen has created some fascinating characters over time.  When I first saw Ali G on television, I didn't know who he was and thought (as I was supposed to) 'What an obnoxious git'.

Since then, like most people, I've been amused and appalled (often at the same time) by characters such as Borat, Bruno and Admiral General Aladeen. I don't agree with everything they say or even everything that Sascha says through them, but I acknowledge he has the right to say what he wants and there is a point behind his in-character rants.

My main problem is that developing a persona, sometimes quite different to who you are in real life is becoming more and more common on the Internet.

For want of a better term, I'm calling them Internet Constructs and they come in a variety of forms. Sometimes this is people harmlessly becoming the person they want to be or feel like they were meant to be.  
Sometimes it is not so harmless, particularly if people think and relate to this person as a real person and are encouraged to do so. 

I take people (even if hiding under a pseudonym) at their word. If they say they are male and give advice as a male about things pertaining to being male, I'd like to think they are (note I am not referring to Transgender people here). If they say they are a therapist and give advice or criticism of people's behavior as if they were a therapist, I'd like to think they have a qualification to do so.

Some constructs can be amusing and thought provoking. A form of entertainment. But in that case, I feel some form of disclosure should be made.

Some constructs are created by authors as a backstory for their characters. In the end, their lives, actions and thoughts become THE story. Again, somewhere there should be the warning that this is fiction. So that when their aunty/cousin/or they themselves "die", we don't have their "friends/"fans grieving anymore than they would if someone was written out of their favourite TV show.

Some constructs are sock puppets to further their creators own careers. It was Ryan Field's blog on this subject here that prompted me to write this.

But if it's not made clear that the online identity is a construct then call me naive or gullible, I assume the person I think I'm dealing with is a real person not someone who is fake through and through.

If you want to make your points in a "different" way, fine become a Borat or an Ali G, but Sascha Baron Cohen never hid his real identity or denied playing these "characters".

If you're bored with your real identity and want to create a new one. Fine. But say so and give your "Friends" the chance to interact on different levels with both identities.

The trouble is that once you discover these constructs aren't "real" you question everything they've ever said. Where does the truth end and the lies begin? With opinions as well as facts.