Mullaprofiiliga

Mullaprofiiliga is a theoretical framework used to study the creation, maintenance, and management of multiple online profiles across different digital platforms. It examines how people present distinct personas for work, personal life, interest-based communities, and temporary contexts, and how these practices intersect with privacy, security, and platform design.

Etymology and origins: The term is a neologism commonly described as combining concepts of multiple profiles with a field designation, and was introduced in academic discourse in the early 2010s by researchers in information science and digital sociology to capture cross-platform identity management. It is not widely standardized, and definitions vary across studies.

Theoretical basis and methods: Mullaprofiiliga draws on identity theory, privacy theory, and discourse analysis. Researchers employ mixed methods, including qualitative interviews, ethnographic observation of online behavior, and analysis of publicly observable profiles, along with policy and architecture analysis of platform tools that support or constrain profile diversification.

Applications and implications: The framework informs design considerations for privacy-preserving features, identity management tools, and research methodologies for studying online behavior. It also provides a lens for evaluating how platform governance affects the ability to maintain separate or overlapping identities.

Criticism and limitations: Critics note potential determinism in predicting behavior from profile fragmentation, ethical concerns around surveillance and data collection, and operational challenges in measuring true identity boundaries across platforms.

See also: Identity management, digital sociology, privacy, online profiles, user segmentation.