We all lie a little bit online - to show the world the better parts of ourselves. We can be whoever we want to be online, and no one can stop us. What happens when this is taken too far? Welcome to Catfishing the Blog Post.
Catfish refers to someone who uses photos and information (typically stolen from other online profiles) to build a fake online persona. They can be used to damage the reputation of the original person, trick people, or create false relationships online. Some go to extreme lengths to create fake identities – having multiple social media accounts to build up and validate their catfishing profiles.
Catfishing has been around almost as long as the internet, but the term "Catfish" was coined around 2010 when a documentary was released. Nev Shulman directed this documentary and a TV series after he was catfished online.
There are many reasons people catfish online, a few of them being: insecurities, mental illness, revenge, harassment, and exploiting sexual preferences.
"The most common reason people will catfish others is a lack of confidence. If people aren’t happy with themselves, they feel that by being someone more attractive, they are fully able to express themselves freely without their insecurities holding them back."
The internet holds endless possibilities, which is why it is so important to be cautious when interacting with people online. We all can be anyone, but that doesn't mean we should.
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