The argument has been made that the Internet is the "great Equalizer" - a media that cuts across cultural boundaries to bring us closer together, creating a new Cybertopia society (Ebo, 1998). The gee-whiz wonder of technology is breaking down personal (Engleman, 1995) and geographical boundaries. Or is it? Economic and societal boundaries still limit access to this new community, much like the ocean kept settlers from discovering new lands. These boundaries skew the new populace, ensuring that they are drawn from a select pool of upper to middle class, educated people. So given these limitations, can we expect diversity in our Virtual Nation?

Identity of individual in the Virtual Nation is difficult to define. Mach (1993) makes two points about identity:

1. Identity is contextual.
2. Identity consists of both external and internal identification.

 Identity through Position - Contextual Identity

 Identity through Interactions - External Identity

 Identity through Self-Definition - Internal Identity

 Identity through Electronic Transactions - Digital Identity

Legends | Conclusions