Introduction
The invention of new technologies has tremendously changed very many aspects of human life. Currently, the effects of technology are substantially reflected on the computer which is transforming people’s lives (Sagar, 2010, para. 3). Ever since it was invented, the computer has been going through drastic changes such as the introduction of internet services. The invention of the internet is a major technological change that is greatly attracting millions of people globally.
Internet usage contributes a very big percentage to a person’s daily activities. In other words, people tend to spend most of their time using the internet. This is mainly contributed by the fact that computer users can easily interact with their relatives and friends through online services (Felli & Ortalo-Magne, 1998, para. 4). Apart from this, there are many others offered by online services such as games and downloading of services.
Through the use of internet services, many people have come across avatars that normally represent them. An avatar is a disposition that usually represents a person who uses the internet. These avatars are mainly applied in web discussions, games, and online communities (Meadow, 2008, p. 74). By using avatars, people acquire a second life although this is not in reality. Thus, internet users normally assume the world is dominated by avatars. The objective of this paper, therefore, is to discuss avatar and its negative impact.
Avatar
The existence of avatars has made online services more interesting as users are represented in web communication, gaming, and internet communities. An avatar is very useful because it gives users the impression that they participate in online services. These avatars can include cartoons, human pictures, animal pictures or they can take many other forms (Meadow, 2008, p. 52). Although the avatars are representatives, they have to be controlled by users who are in charge of the games, web discussions, and online communities.
In this case, online users normally assume the world of avatars which does not exist in a real-life situation. Assuming the world of avatars implies that people have a second life within the boundaries of online services. Nowadays, people like involving themselves in web discussions as they hold a wide range of forums. As they register and participate in the forums, there is always an option of using avatars. In this case, the avatar might be an image that represents a person in web discussions (Perry, 2001, p. 90). However, some users do not prefer using avatars so they can contribute their ideas without any images.
Other users may change their avatars regularly depending on their tastes and preferences. While playing games, avatars are usually used to represent one or more users. In such games, people are often involved in the participation although this is not physical.
It is even more interesting when several users compete through the avatars. All they have to do is to control the avatars in whichever way they want. Users, therefore, have to be keen and wise for them to win in a particular game. Winning or losing in a game will depend on how users direct their avatars. In games like football matches, the users can take avatars to symbolize a referee or players who participate in the match. Avatars are equally useful in internet communities where people interact with one another (Perry, 2001, p. 48). Online communities may include sites like MySpace, Twitter, and Facebook where people interact with one another.
Within these sites, there are often different communities that are formed for the sole purpose of interactions. This is also a second life for users who are represented in their chat rooms by different avatars. Most users in the internet communities prefer using their photos to represent them as avatars. Using photos in online communities is more effective as they enhance communication. Such avatars are also effective because they portray how users look in the real sense. As users see each other’s photos, they imagine themselves in a situation where they are in a face-to-face discussion.
The negative impact of avatars
As a negative effect, avatars can affect the emotions and think of users with a given online environment. According to Perry, there are usually colors associated with avatars (Perry, 2001, p. 89). He also says that colors have different meanings like for instance red signifies danger while death symbolizes death. Avatars with such colors may give a user the impression that they are likely to lose in a football match or any other game.
As such this might affect users psychologically hence they may quit playing games. In online communities, avatars may be used to analyze someone’s character. For example, there are different kinds of images that can be used to signify avatars. If a person decides to use sexual materials to act as avatars, then this is bound to affect other users who may feel uncomfortable. Similarly, avatars with horrific pictures may tend to terrify other users within an online community. Another impact of avatars is that they can make people give other users names that do not belong to them.
For instance, if a person uses an image that belongs to a celebrity, people can start calling him/her with the celebrity’s name. Some of these names may be pleasing while others may irritate a user. Because of this reason, users may feel proud or intimidated by the names they acquire from other people. Seemingly, avatars can make a person adopt a particular behavior. Out of what avatars do in the online environment, there is a big percentage that is normally imitated by users. Practically, this is not right because it may result in very negative effects on the users. Ideally, avatars are not real creatures and so they can be controlled to do any sort of activity.
This mainly applies to avatars which are normally used in games. How avatars move might completely be out of the ordinary life situations. Their movements are very complicated and can not be done by users even if they are physically fit for any kind of exercise (Perry, 2001, p. 53). However, some users ignore the fact that they can not be like. In most cases, such people are often victims of injuries caused by their negligence as they imitate the avatars. Imitation of the avatars may cause a user to break their legs, arms, or ribs. In serious cases, it may even lead to the death of a person.
Conclusion
Ideally, the world of computers has transformed the lives of many people who are addicted to online services. The use of avatars has enabled users to acquire new online communities where they get a second life (Botler, 2000, p. 102). Although avatars have positive effects they also have negative impacts (Perry, 2001, p. 102). Avatars are greatly affecting several users who normally imitate what they see from the online environment.
The nature of avatars is also a negative impact as they can affect people’s thoughts. Advisably, users must never imitate whatever they see from the online environments since it may cause them many problems. This mainly applies to those who use avatars while playing online games. Moreover, users should not call each other names because it may only intimidate them (Perry, 2001, p. 114).
Reference List
Botler, J. D. (2000). Remediation-understanding new media. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Felli, L., & Ortalo-Magne, F. (1998). Technological innovations: slumps and booms. New York: Sage.
Meadow, M. (2008). I, Avatar: The Culture and Consequences of Having a second life. London: New Rides Press.
Perry. S. Avatar. (2001). Star Trek Deep Space Nine. UK: Star Trek.
Sagar, A. (2006). Technological innovation. The Encyclopedia of Earth. Web.