The avatar is a long-standing element in the computer world and in social media. It is a graphic image or logo that represents the user's identity. It is not, therefore, a photo. Its birth can be traced back to the world of virtual communities, social networks and takes its name from the Hindu tradition. The Sanskrit term can in fact be translated as "He who descends" and indicates the incarnation of a god in a physical body. The role of the avatar is to graphically represent, through a symbol of any kind, the virtual identity of the members of the community. It is in this sense that real people “descend” into the virtual world, taking on a form that is not their own.
The computer “places” where the use of avatars is predominant are forums or role-playing game social networks, which remain an element of extraordinary importance for understanding the evolutionary path of digital identities.
