Will “Cat-fishing” Change In 2030?
Catfishing has become a more recent phenomenon due to the internet and the vast use of social media. If you do not know what Catfishing is here is how it is described, “A catfish is someone who creates a false online identity.Catfishing is common on social networking and online dating sites. Sometimes a catfish's sole purpose is to engage in a fantasy. Sometimes, however, the catfish's intent is to defraud a victim, seek revenge or commit identity theft.Either way, a catfish exploits the fact that people are often willing to ignore warning signs that a friend or acquaintance may not be who they claim to be. In an online relationship, such signs include refusals to meet in person, refusals to video chat, claims of a serious disease or injury, unusually attractive profile images, personal information that doesn't add up, or requests for money.”(WhatIs.com, 2018) Due to this issue, many individuals have been scammed.
How will this effect friendships made online?
I believe that the future of social media will make it easier to create friendships and to create ones that are positive due to the information we now know about catfishing. The biggest issue that we must promote is to not trust everyone you met online.
Will catfishing be different in 2030?
I believe that since “catfishing” has become a topic that many individuals discuss I think that in 2030 catfishing will be less popular due to the fact more and more people are educated about it and know the signs that they might be being catfished. This will allow fewer people to fall for the scam that is catfishing. Due to this, there will be a decrease in trust online to those we do not know.. “Trust will be strengthened, but it will be blind trust enforced by the ceaseless demands of The System, hell-bent to drive everyone online.”(Rainie and Anderson, 2018) I enjoyed this quote talking about the future of trust in social media and how it will change and that none of us know exactly what will happen.
How to know if you're being Catfished
They will not talk via video call
They do not have many followers or friends
Their stories do not line up
They're using someone else's photos
Their only photos are professionally taken
They're reluctant to meet up
By: Adrianna Dick
WhatIs.com. (2018). What is catfish? - Definition from WhatIs.com. [online] Available at: https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/catfish [Accessed 22 Apr. 2018].