This paper explores how self-identity can be impacted upon by the use of digital and social media. In particular, drawing on a narrative account of selfhood, it argues that some forms of activity and interaction on the internet can support the capacity to be oneself, and foster transformative processes that are self-enhancing.

I start by introducing different positions in the philosophical exploration of identity online, critically outlining the arguments of those who hold a “pessimistic” and an “optimistic” stance respectively. I then expand on the narrative identity framework that has been used to support the optimists’ view, arguing that digital and social media use can foster forms of self-understanding that enable us to preserve or develop our identity. More precisely, exploring these dynamics also in relation to the lived experience of mental ill-health, I maintain that internet-enabled technology can support narrative self-constitution in three main ways: (1) by facilitating the processes through which we remember self-defining life-stories; (2) by enabling us to give salience to the stories that we decide should matter the most; and (3) by providing us with opportunities to obtain social uptake for our narratives. I then conclude by dispelling some possible objections to the use of a narrative approach to account for selfhood online.

本文探讨了数字和社交媒体的使用如何影响自我认同。特别是，利用对自我的叙述，它认为互联网上的某些形式的活动和互动可以支持做自己的能力，并促进自我增强的变革过程。

我首先介绍在线身份哲学探索中的不同立场，分别批判性地概述那些持有“悲观”和“乐观”立场的人的论点。然后，我扩展了用于支持乐观主义者观点的叙事身份框架，认为数字和社交媒体的使用可以促进自我理解的形式，使我们能够保留或发展我们的身份。更准确地说，探索这些与精神疾病的生活经历相关的动态，我认为互联网技术可以通过三种主要方式支持叙事自我建构：（1）通过促进我们记住自我的过程。定义生活故事； (2) 让我们能够突出我们认为最重要的故事； (3) 为我们提供机会让我们的叙述获得社会认可。最后，我消除了一些可能反对使用叙事方法来解释在线自我的反对意见。