(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.tribute.ca/tribute_objects/images/movies/Catfish/Catfish.jpg
"Catfish [kat-fish], verb. To pretend to be someone you're
not online by posting false information, such as someone else's pictures, on
social media sites usually with the intention of getting someone to fall in
love with you "(Catfish).
Most of us have likely seen or heard about MTV's Catfish: The TV Show. The two main co-stars, Nev Schulman and Max Joseph, connect with people who have formed an online relationship with someone they've never met in person. They help investigate the significant other to see if they really are who they say they are. The moment of truth comes when the online lovers finally meet in person, revealing their true identity. More often than not, the hopeful partner is deceived and disappointed.
In this modern age where technology and social media seem to direct our social lives and relationships, it seems completely normal for people to meet and start a relationship online. In a perfect world, two people would meet online and represent themselves honestly in order to form a true relationship. The problem with that is people see that they can get away with being anyone they want.
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(n.d.). Retrieved from http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/01/17/article-2264053-170012AC000005DC-756_634x359.jpg
On Facebook, you provide your personal information, you upload your profile picture, and you have the ability to add almost anyone as a friend. This means you can portray yourself pretty much any way that you want to. What takes this deceptive situation even farther is when it becomes addicting. People who create these fake identities begin realizing that they can get away with it, finding some sort of thrill in it. "It is a joy that typically springs from their inability to achieve the depth of human connection in reality that they can achieve online," according to personal accounts of the scammers on the Catfish show (Peterson). Many of them have multiple false identities and many of them say they probably wouldn't have stopped had the television show not intervened.
With this knowledge, we should all take a step back and look at our online profiles. Do we know every one of our online "friends"? Are we being completely honest about who we are online? Catfishing is just as real of a dilemma as Internet addiction, and often, the two go hand in hand.
Sources
Catfish: the TV show. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.mtv.com/shows/catfish/series.jhtml
Peterson, H. (17 January, 2013). Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2264053/Catfishing-The-phenomenon-Internet-scammers-fabricate-online-identities-entire-social-circles-trick-people-romantic-relationships.html
This is why it is a good idea to only add people that you have met in person. The fact that facebook or other social networks make it look like a person is adding you can have other problems. I have had messages from people asking me to add them as friends that were in fact trojan horses. Anything that seems strange should handled with care.
ReplyDeleteOdds are you do not know everyone of your friends on Facebook or who your followers are on Twitter. John is right about only adding people you have met in person. The internet is becoming a very dangerous place these days in regards to social media, not only are you putting your own information out there but people may use it to their advantage and even may lead to cases of identity theft or stalking. Use your common sense when on social media, do not show all of your information such as your phone number or address, you do not know who is viewing or watching you. Very creepy if you think about it, good article!
ReplyDeleteYou're very right about the negative effects that can come from having too much personal information available to the public. Stalking can become a very real (and, like you said, very creepy) concern, when thinking about the fact that so many people update their status about where they are going, where they go to school, where they work, and other extremely sensitive personal info.
DeleteI myself have never been Cat fished before, but I know the bad affects it can give to people. It is important to protect any personal information put on the internet. This is because most people are evil and enjoy seeing others in pain. So I always make sure I know who I add on my online profiles. Spread the word!!!
ReplyDeleteMost people on that show are just ignorant. If something seems to good to be true than it usually is. I've watched a number of episodes and everyone of those people seem blind to fact that there are things such as snapchat, facetime, or webcams which would abolish all doubt if to someone is who they say they are or not.
ReplyDeleteThe main reason for people who don't see catfish-ing for what it truly is is most likely that they really want it to be real. They have probably seen the red flags, and looked past them because of the relationship they are hoping for. They also are probably just like most of us, thinking, "something like that couldn't ever happen to someone like me.." It's easier to think we are invincible to something so shocking and "unlikely" as being catfished than to think we were taken advantage of by someone online.
DeleteI also wrote a blog about this. I think it is ridiculous and should not be allowed! Catfishers are basically using others identities. I believe this may push toward a legal issue someday if this keeps becoming an issue. I have been sort of catfished, but very aware that it was not the person the whole time. It is very annoying, immature, and weird. These people must be addicted to the internet or social media to the extent that they have to make a fake person just so they can talk to people.
ReplyDeleteI have watched this show, and although I do feel bad for the people who experience this first-hand, I have to think that they asked for it. I do not understand how people can be so nieve to think that they are actually dating this amazing person who they have never met before and, often times, haven't even had a physical conversation with. Go with your instincts people, and don't get in too deep until you make sure you know who you're investing your time in.
ReplyDeleteI have a number of friends who will add any person who sends them a friend request on Facebook. I am not one of those people. I get a number of friend requests every week from random names I don't recognize. When I go to the profile to see if I forgot this person, I see they have one or two pictures, and either a small number of friends or a large number of friends but none of them from the same area. Now maybe I'm just too suspicious of other people, but these things seem odd to me. I don't want to have a bunch of random "friends" on facebook who can view my information while I don't even know if that is actually them. That is why I prefer to stick with people I know.
ReplyDeleteCompared to my real life on social networks I do have more friends. Well I don't like to use the word friend loosely so I shall refer to them as associates. I do not interact with them much online but that connection to them if you would like to talk is great. I'm quite suspicious of random people sending friend request especially on Facebook where more of my information is accessible. I try to limit my 'friends' to those I've interacted with in the past or those I wish to network with. I've never been Catfished but I'm sure if I would have met a few people I connected with at a younger age online I would be in for a shocker. I've watched the show a few times and some of the signs are clear as day. Many never video chatted or they are sent generic pictures that look as if they were taken from a magazine. So from my opinion most that are on the show set themselves up to be embarrassed.
ReplyDeleteThis show never ceases to amaze me. I personally have never pretended to act as someone else over the internist and I have never met anyone who was acting as if they were someone else either. I am have become much more cautious when it comes to social media because not everyone can be trusted and I don't feel any women should put herself in that situation.
ReplyDeleteI have watched a couple of episodes of this show and I think it is crazy. Most of the people who are being catfished truly believe the person they are communicating with is who they say they are, despite the fact that they have never met them. With multiple social networks, it is incredibly easy for a person to create an identity that is not theirs. People really need to be careful.
ReplyDeleteI feel like anyone who falls for something like this absolutely deserves it. A person with the smallest bit of common sense should be able to recognize the red flags and delete the "relationship/friendship". I think its pathetic that people that do this kind of stuff exist in our world and its terrible that other people give them the attention they want.
ReplyDeleteYes I have!
ReplyDeleteThat was before video chat such as skype came about and MSN and ICQ were the predominant P2P instant messaging programs.
It happened when I was 15 and getting a date. The girl gave me her description and we arranged to meet at a local mall back in my hometown. When I've got there, I was looking for this girl and someone completely different showed up and started talking to me. I still went out with her, but needless to say, this date was shot.
When I was in middle school, there was an boy group called B5 that I loved. I joined their fan site, and went in their chat rooms hoping to catch them online and chat with other young female fans about our love for the boys. There were plenty of times when someone would come in the chat and pose as one of the members. One time a friend and I were on the "phone" with one of the boys. So unfortunately, yes I've been catfished in my young age, but I knew it.
ReplyDelete