Tuesday 3 March 2015

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



36 comments:

  1. i have watched this programme before and was astonished at how many people were actually falling in love at some times with people they had never met before then to find out they are most certainly not the person they thought they were actually talking to x

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    1. it can be hard to watch sometimes as I hate seeing people get hurt. Nev and Max are fantastic in the way they help and support the person who has been "catfished" x

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  2. It's amazing how cruel people can be online, but also how nice. I've met some amazing people online.

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    1. I would say the majority are nice, sadly there will always be that minority that want to hurt and ruin people but those nasty people always get what they deserve

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  3. I have never seen this, but I always tell my boys that people may not be who they say they are online and we have rules

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  4. aww fab, rules are so important when it comes to being online. We let our son watch videos on Youtube (Disney, Turtles that kind of thing)but we sit with him and make sure he is ok x

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  5. Wow, food for thought. I guess we're all guilty of being too trusting sometimes.

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    1. I agree, we can all be too trusting. When I first watched the show I was actually in tears as I felt so bad for the person being lied to

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  6. I am always drilling into my children not to give any details about themselves out online and not to believe what anyone they don't personally know tells them. It is an important safety message. Isn't it a shame that some people can be so dishonest?

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    1. The police visited my sons primary school today. They spoke to the younger chidlren about stranger danger and to the older children about the dangers of being online. It is terrible that people can be so dishonest just no need for it x

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  7. I cannot believe have naive people are on Catfish either, yes it is very important we educate our children to be safety aware, so worrying how easy it is for them to fall prey of people with bad intentions.

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    1. Some of them are very naive as they are usually young (late teens/early 20s) when it all works out well and the person is who they say they are I get all emotional. It is a massive concern for me that one day my children could fall prey to such a person but we are and will continue to educate them on the dangers

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  8. I've never watched this - I didn't even know it existed - but it does bring back memories of my own teenage years, and getting to know people in chat rooms. I was always very lucky I think that everyone I met was who they said they were!

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    1. I was never brave enough to meet anyone off a chatroom I was always too scared. You should watch it and let me know what you think x

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  9. That is scary! I take so many things at face value...

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  10. I love the programme Catfish and watch it regularly, but also it's so scary how we can be so easily manipulated by technology. It does make me worry for my son, especially after the recent Murder of a 16 year old girl in Bristol which could be related to social media. x

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    1. That broke my heart, I really thought they would find her safe :( Technology can be amazing when used correctly x

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  11. I have never heard of it, but now I want to watch it x

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  12. It IS terrible that people can behave this way with so little thought for others feelings, but I suppose the internet is just a microcosm of society at large and therefore nasty characters are to be expected - never stops me being shocked though.
    The basic ingredients of personal safety within the wider world remain the same, but mixed differently give different results, and the internet has put a whole new spin on how we should protect ourselves and our children. A worthy post about a serious subject - thanks for sharing.

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    1. Hi I agree it has put a whole new spin on how we should protect our children and ourselves. At 34 I am still shocked at some of the things I hear that happen online. I watched Channel 4 Cyberbully and I was left stunned.

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  13. I've watched this programme too and it is really shocking. Online security is something that really worries me, particularly for my children growing up in a world where so much is online.

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    1. It is shocking and I also worry about online safety! Did you know there is a youtube for children? it is monitored carefuly and has cartoons and kids programmes on it http://www.youtubeforchildren.com/

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  14. This isn't something I have ever heard of, but I feel as though I should watch it now.

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    1. It is interesting to watch. I was stunned the first time I watched then I got hooked on it

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  15. my mum and step dad met on line ... i met my ex online and he nearly killed me .. i guess as terrifying as it is we will never know someone and not from behind a screen x

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    1. oh my god. I am sorry to hear you had the experience. No we will never know which is quite scary x

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  16. The whole internet dating thing makes me nervous if I'm honest. I'm not sure if I'd be able to do it.

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    1. I was worried about it too but if i hadn't gave it a shot I wouldn't have met my husband. I was one of the lucky ones. I do think its a minority who are creeps x

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  17. I have met some fantastic people online but am always careful and do worry about the kids

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    1. I have met some lovely people too, like yourself, but worry about the kids safety online the internet is a massive part of their lives x

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  18. is this the same as the film Catfish? So terrifying! I know a friend of a friend who had a fault identity thing happen to them, it's a funny old world! x

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    1. yeah its based on the film showing Nev being "catfished" that's why he started the MTV show to help others. I have heard of a few people having the same thing done to them. not nice x

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  19. I've never heard of that before, I'm definitely going to check that program out xxx

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    1. last night's was all sorts of creepy! I have been watching it for a while now and I was even gobsmacked x

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