1. A method for representing a user within an online system, comprising: receiving by the online system a live recording of a first user of the online system as a live media stream, the first user defining permissions to access the live recording; receiving a request for a representation of the first user from a second user of the online system; determining if the second user is authorized to access the live recording based on the permissions; if the second user is authorized, providing the live recording to the second user as the representation of the first user; enabling an interaction between the first and the second user in that the first and second users can see or hear each other, thereby providing an instantaneous interaction between the first user and the second user; adding at least one further user interacting with a respective representation of the first user to an activity between the first and second users, the further user being authorized to access the live recording based on the access permissions while only being enabled to hear the first user; requesting a user identity of the first user by the second user; retrieving a status of the second user with regard to the first user; based on the status of the second user, determining a representation of the user identity; and if the second user is authorized, including the live recording in the representation of the user identity, wherein said determining if the second user is authorized includes determining if the second user is authorized to access the live recording based on the permissions and the status.