Okay, back to the arc on online privacy started in Online Privacy, Part 1. Our last entry talked about Persistent Identity and how it works into relationship and trust. We continue here with Role-Specific Identity.Next comes Role-Specific Identity. Role-Specific Identity begins a two-way exchange between the individual and the seller because the seller has created a role for the individual and to enjoy the benefits of that role the individual needs to play by some rules set by the seller. Credit Cards brand individuals via role-specific identities.
For example, everybody knows what a Gold Card is, and that certain financial and other bona fides are required to get one, and most people know about what's involved in the getting and keeping of Platinum Cards.
But how many know what's involved in getting or keeping a Black AmEx? How about an ML-Signature? For real credit cards, travel cards, club cards, etc., role-specific identity is the point. The seller controls the role the individual plays. Of course, the individual enjoys certain benefits by taking on the seller’s predefined role. You get automatic upgrades on flights, you get preferred treatment at hotels, you get better tables at restaurants and guaranteed reservations. Also, the seller knows more about you than you know about yourself, but you have decided that you want it that way because that’s part of the role you've been assigned. The only way to break out of the role is to be denied the benefits conferred by the role and most people don't want to do that.
(Information in this arc is from Chapter 7, "Experience Versus Expectation" of my next book, Reading Virtual Minds. Text and images copyright Joseph Carrabis and NextStage Evolution 2006-2007)
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