Internet freedom has always been meeting some restrictions by governments worldwide. People don’t have the right to view whatever they want on the internet or express themselves in an inappropriate manner.
Also, the pandemic seems to affect globally internet freedom. Since it started, internet rights have been increasingly worsened, as data shows that people across the globe have started to catfish other online users. So, governments across the world have used the pandemic as a way to monitor and censor online traffic. In some countries, there have been developed new tech advances for social control.
So, you might wonder, is this good or bad? Does the internet need more censorship?
Gone are the days when dating was relatively safe. Now, in the 21st century, social media platforms and online dating apps had made people connect with each other from great distances. Your grandma wouldn’t even dream about this! Let’s call these chances to meet someone online a convenient and romantic outlet. But we cannot ignore the fact that it also led to plenty of scams and frauds. Something that you definitely worry about!
These days, people worry about being catfished! No, we’re not talking about real cats, the term “catfish” is quite simple. When you are interacting with a person who creates a fake identity online, through social media platforms, and forms relationships with other people is called catfish. This term is widely popular since 2010 and can be applied to people due to a wide variety of reasons.
There are lots of weirdoes on the internet who create false profiles just to connect with a person that normally, might not be attracted by them. Some catfishing might not be as bad as it looks: someone might just feel lonely or don’t have the guts to communicate with other people, so instead, they create a fake profile. But they’re missing what truly matters in real life: the thrill, excitement, and emotional feeling you get when you chat with someone you like. Instead, they choose to hide behind another person’s identity.
However, other catfish attempts can turn into serious experiences.
Many of those people who like to spend much time on the internet have encountered plenty of unpleasant experiences that turned into serious frauds or scams, especially financial ones. So, losing hundreds of dollars doesn’t really sound like a good idea, right? That’s why you should never trust someone online, not before you meet them in person. The worst-case scenario is when a person or a child is being catfished and a victim of sexual assault, or even murder. You perhaps have heard people talking about them being catfished, and you might even receive some advice on how to stay safe and protect yourself online.
Most catfish stories reveal many tips you can use for example and learn how to communicate with people online. You might consider stopping exchanging personal information online, like names, home addresses, phone numbers, and divulging other secrets. If, by any chance, a person becomes too pushy with your online relationship, and without even meeting you in person, you’re likely to be catfished soon.
It might seem like a way to protect themselves. Well, some people never show their faces online exactly due to this reason: because they strictly want to keep writing and communicate through phone calls, but avoid video calls and sharing photos with them online – they hide their true identity to steal yours.
Here’s a quick tip: If you meet someone online, and you find them interesting, request to see their face within a week or two. Skype and Facetime work best in these situations. If they keep saying no, then you might as well do yourself a favor and block them. Recurring excuses mean just one thing: that person has a purpose and that purpose is to steal your identity or blackmail you.
Learn all about using the digital space. Since the pandemic happened, people started to spend more and more time in the online area. People are now attending medical appointments, school classes, and jobs online. However, if we take a look at the global internet freedom, 2020 hasn’t been a good year. There was increased use of data, AI (artificial intelligence), and biometrics by the state to collect, monitor, and analyze people’s info.
Social media platforms have become an integral part of our lives. We cannot be blind and don’t admit the fact that the internet has changed our lives for the best. But still, ever since the internet has taken place in the world, a lot of scams have devastated people’s lives. Have your friends and family follow these tips for enjoying social media:
In this world of online everything, is hard not to make personal connections based on online photos and messages. Still, it’s not a bad idea to communicate online. The thing is that we should all pay more attention to whom we communicate with and what we share online. If you’re developing relationships with people online, and they show catfishing red flags, make sure you do something about it! What they know about you could easily be used against you. Before sharing important data with anyone online, make sure you first investigate that person’s social media profile. Like anything else in life, it’s better to be safe than sorry!
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