Nowadays almost every celebrity has his own homepage containing more or less information about him as a private person. Once being established in the media, a webpage can reinforce oneself’s popularity among the online community. Surely can there be assumed that this digital representation of themselves is located somewhere between PR and privacy.
Due to celebrities’ extraordinary status in society, it may be an interesting question in what way they still can be considered as a private person. As Tolson holds, there is “a quest for an authentic mediated identity today” (Tolson 2001: 456) what, referred to celebrities, could be realised through effective external communication in form of web pages.
In this regard, this term paper will aim to figure out to which extent these kinds of digital self-representations can be considered as “authentic” towards illustrating something really personal or private. What kind of identity(-construction) can there be seen behind the mask of being someone famous and to what extent can one call the presented material about the self “authentic”? Furthermore, what are the consequences for celebrities regarding either presenting themselves too much as business people or private persons?
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Identity construction
- On 'being authentic'
- Authenticity and digital storytelling
- Content analysis
- Procedure
- "A"-celebrities
- "B"-celebrities
- "C"-celebrities
- Comparison between different types of celebrities
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This term paper aims to investigate the authenticity of digital self-representations by celebrities on their personal websites. It explores the extent to which these online presences reflect a genuine, private persona versus a carefully crafted public image. The study analyzes how celebrities manage their identities in the digital space, considering the interplay between professional promotion and personal disclosure.
- Authenticity of online self-representation by celebrities.
- Identity construction in the digital age.
- The relationship between public image and private persona online.
- The role of digital storytelling in shaping celebrity identity.
- Comparison of different celebrity types and their online strategies.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The Introduction sets the context by highlighting the prevalence of celebrity websites and questioning the balance between public relations and privacy in these online spaces. The chapter on Identity Construction explores theoretical frameworks of identity formation in the digital world, referencing relevant scholars such as Giddens and Gauntlett. On 'being authentic' delves into the psychological and media-related aspects of authenticity, examining the concept of a "true self" versus a projected image. Authenticity and digital storytelling connects the theoretical discussions to the practical analysis of celebrity websites, framing them as forms of digital storytelling and exploring the implications for authenticity.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Celebrity, digital identity, authenticity, self-representation, identity construction, digital storytelling, online persona, public image, privacy, media, web pages, content analysis.
- Quote paper
- Andreas Thieme (Author), 2008, The story of my life, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/120278
