Catfish

When I first started using the internet when I was 18, Facebook and Twitter didn't exist, thinking about it the only social media that I can recall were online chatrooms.  I did use chatrooms, mainly travel based rooms as I was studying Travel and Tourism at the time, but always refused if someone invited me to have a private chat with them simply because they could be anyone.  Fast forward a (good) few years and we have Facebook, Twitter, Bebo (yes it's back), online dating sites and a whole host of other sites.  Do you ever wonder if the person you are talking to is really who they say they are?

MTV show a programme called Catfish. You may have already seen it or you might never have heard of it but it really is a show worth watching as it raises some very important issues, the main one being online safety.

Nev Schulman and Max Joseph help young couples who met online but have never actually met face to face, their relationships are carried out via the Internet, text message and phone calls.  I must admit the first time I watched the show I was gobsmacked.  

Here is an example of how it works:  A woman emails Nev asking for help,  She met a guy online, they got talking and now they are "together".  He calls, texts and messages her via Facebook but refuses to Skype her or meet with her.  Nev and Max get all the information from her and look into the guy to see if he is who he said he is.  Once all the information is gathered and they show it to the woman they get in contact with the guy to arrange a meeting.  They go meet the guy and turns out he (sometimes she) is someone totally different.

I couldn't believe people could be so cruel.  Not every case is out of badness though.  Some have reasons for hiding behind this fake persona, for example confidence issues or health reasons.  It still doesn't make it right but you can understand why at the same time.  The people who are doing out of sheer nastiness I get very angry at. They don't think, or care, about how that person will feel, to them it is just a game.

I met James online and we added each other on Bebo and Facebook, we text and called each other before meeting in a busy place for the first time.  We done it the correct way and we are still together now and have 2 wonderful children so yes it can work out for the best, sadly it doesn't work that way in every case.

If you have children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, brothers or sisters who are young and online visit http://www.saferinternet.org.uk/ for more information about being safe online and share it with them, have that conversation.

To find out more about Catfish visit http://www.mtv.co.uk/catfish-the-tv-show