Identity Switching
Definition
Identity Switching is the act of changing which Public Identity is active under a single Account. The member remains the same authenticated person. Only the public role through which they participate changes.
Identity Switching does not create a new account, does not log the member out, and does not replace one login with another. It changes the public voice — not private control.
Identity Switching changes the public role — not the Account.
Account is private. Identity is public. Reputation belongs to the identity.
Purpose
To let one person operate many public roles securely and clearly — so publishing, viewing, and reputation stay attached to the correct public voice.
Why it exists
Without switching, members would need multiple logins or would mix every role into one profile. Switching exists because real life already has multiple public roles; the platform must make that manageable without pretending those roles are the same.
The important claim is not “one click.” The important claim is: one account can securely manage multiple independent public identities.
Who it is for
- Members who hold more than one public identity
- Anyone publishing as a business, organization, or content identity distinct from Personal
Typical use cases
- Switch from Personal to Business before a company update
- Switch to Professional before a client-facing reply
- Switch to a Blog or Video identity before publishing as that channel
How it works
The member selects an active identity (for example “Viewing as”). Subsequent public actions are attributed to that identity. Visitors see the Public Identity in use — not a second account login.
Because reputation belongs to the identity, switching also chooses which reputation record receives the next action. The Account stays the same throughout.
Examples
- Same login; Personal for community life, Business for the company page
- Same login; Professional for client work without mixing private Personal posts into that record
What belongs here
- Changing the active public role; attributing posts and pages to that role
What doesn’t belong here
- Treating switch as logout or new registration
- Believing you changed your Account when you only changed Public Identity
- Using switch to hide authorship or to impersonate another person
- Expecting reputation to move with the private account instead of the identity
Relationship to other concepts
Identity Switching is the operational link between Account and Public Identity inside Digital You. It closes the loop of the core model: private control stays on the Account; public participation moves among identities; reputation follows the identity that speaks.
Position in the platform
- Account
- Public Identity
- Identity Switching