Art and identity on the web

In a world increasingly mediated by technology and images, the definition of art has been blurred, stretched and distorted to accommodate different agendas. The internet as a virtual parallel to the physical world makes evident questions of the relationship between art in technology and issues of identity, power and control therein. Who creates art on the internet?  For whom?  To what purpose? Many people now have the freedom to express themselves creatively through personalized homepages such as MySpace with custom colours and designs, furthering their self identity through artistic practices and self expression. Not only has the internet allowed the further joining of art and commodity in an effort to entice consumers but on the other end of the spectrum, the long standing ties between art and activism have been reinforced and the line between the two further blurred by the opportunity for collaboration across time, distance and social groups.