Jason Pridmore
Sociology Department
Ph.D. Candidate

Internet Studies @ Queen's Steering Committee Member, 2003-04

My primary interest in internet studies revolves around the construction of personal identity and the processes of identification. On the one hand, I am interested in the ways in which the internet and its connected mediums of communication are employed to convey a particular sense of self to other users, be it through web pages, friend sites, instant messaging, and blogs. My questions around online identity (or identities) are about the way in which being "connected" has simultaneously transformed the way in which people think of themselves and their interactions and simply become another part of their daily life. On the other hand, I am also interested in the way in which personal data and information gleaned from online activities and elsewhere is imputed into systems to identify and categorize customers and potential customers for and by corporations. My questions around these sorts of identification practices have to do with the social processes behind the development and use of these technologies both on and off the internet, and include recommendation systems (such as found on Amazon.com), loyalty and reward programs, and direct marketing campaigns.

Email: Jason Pridmore