Interesting stuff as always when analysts try to extend current technological and media developments into trends and then recommend future strategies, but the following quote about online identities didn't strike me as self evident:
Today’s social experience is disjointed because consumers have separate identities in each social network they visit. A simple set of technologies that enable a portable identity will soon empower consumers to bring their identities with them — transforming marketing, eCommerce, CRM, and advertising.The concept of a single, integrated online identity is intriguing in concept, but I'm not sure that's what people want. If that means never having to re-enter basic data about themselves or being able to update all identities at once, then it would be a major improvement in efficiency.
But beyond that I think we want and need separate identities - or at least highly variable transparency of our complete identity - depending on the relationship and context.
Facebook recognized this and developed controls that allow us to control what is seen by personal friends vs. colleagues vs. family members. My LinkedIn profile isn't an exact mirror of my Facebook page because the audience and organizing purpose are different. And if I had an avatar in Second Life, it wouldn't be my virtual doppelgänger - I would definitely be a little taller and look better on the beach.
Another obstacle to a unified identity is business models: each social network has a strong incentive to maintain control over its data, which would argue against the creation of independent data stores that serve to multiple social networks. Look at job boards today: millions of man-hours could be saved and service could be improved with a centralized "job search identity" that would serve all of the job boards, but how would that benefit any of the operators of those boards?
So I'll wait and hope. And keep working on my avatar's abs.
