"catfishing"

[camellia0]

This is a word that I've become aware of recently..from the tv show. I had no idea that people would be so stupid to use other people's pictures to try to get someone's attention.....That's crazy, but I guess we all can do so much 'hiding' behind the computer.

[bremer51]

Stupid is right, and scary...and a waste of time.  If people put more energy is doing something positive instead of deceiving others on the web, the world would be a better place.

[msmoneybags48]

People should have some shame in their game and not try to scheme people to get something.  Using other people's pictures to get attention can also get people buried six feet under.   I look at Investigation Discovery and see what people do to get themselves killed.  Blackmailing people can also get you killed.

[southernhorizons]

I had never even heard of the term! It is despicable the lengths some people go to deceive other people, especially for emotionally charged things like romance.

[lvstephanie]

If you haven't seen the movie yet, it is really interesting to watch. The first time I saw it, I didn't know anything about it except that it was a documentary about social networks. So I went into it thinking it may have been similar to the Facebook movie, but as the movie went along I think my jaw continued to drop lower and lower as the catfish identity started to unravel.

I actually have done that a little... It was very early on with the ancestors of MMORPGs (MUDs or Multi User Domains back then). These were role-playing games similar to D&D, and I tended to make female characters. Even when I'd chat with others in the game, I tried to act like a young teenaged girl, like I'd like use lots of like "likes" and like smilies. The reason why I did this was because at the time, females were very underrepresented in the gaming community, so being a female "player" meant you were always getting help from other players. Even in some player vs. player games, I'd get attacked much less and more often I actually get asked to gang-up on someone else. So I was basically being a female for strategic reasons on the game. But that was as far as I went. Once social networks started, I had already out-grown doing that. Err, well, I do have a Facebook account for a real bi-tch, but I don't think it counts since it's just my little girl -- my 200 lbs. female mastiff 

[alice44]

I'm not familiar with this term.  What is it??

[keveland]

I am sooo hooked on this show.  When I first heard the title I thought is was a show about fishing but then one day I was channel surfing and watched and from then I was completely hooked.  I have even had my kids watch it so they can understand that not all people on the internet are all honest about who they are.  Nev puts things in perspective in a way that does it gently but honestly. Nev and his brother should really keep doing more shows like this and bring their sensetivity and honesty to tv programming.

[mlyle]

 

I am sooo hooked on this show.  When I first heard the title I thought is was a show about fishing but then one day I was channel surfing and watched and from then I was completely hooked.  I have even had my kids watch it so they can understand that not all people on the internet are all honest about who they are.  Nev puts things in perspective in a way that does it gently but honestly. Nev and his brother should really keep doing more shows like this and bring their sensetivity and honesty to tv programming.

[Nancy5]

It's stupid, but I think more importantly it's scary.

[vickysue]

I never watched the show. It just gives the crazy other bad ideas. My idea of "catfishing" is going out on the boat and spend a lazy, fun day catching catfish on a hook. If it would just warm up enough to go.

[ladavia89]

People in general tend to be a little fake when it comes to meeting new people and starting new relationships whether it be in person or online. I think it's ridiculous how far some go but I think after I had been talking to a person for some long I would need some real proof of who they are whether it be by video chat, meeting in person or even some customized picture

[bowrunner]

This is the first time I have heard the word "catfishing."  Evidently it's not a good thing.

[mstevenson2]

people always lie about age employment and use pics of others

[tangiechan]

I loooove that show. It has made me a lot more suspicious of what people say on the internet. I knew that people lie and pretend to be someone else on the internet & etc. but I didn't know that people do it to the extent that some of the people on that show do. How can you put up a fake online identity for years and lead someone on for that long??? It astounds me lol.

[alamedann]

There's two sides to catfishing.  The one who's lying and the one who is lied to.  I can't believe that some people will just believe whomever they've met online and what they've said.  Not everyone is out to lie to you/someone, but one does need to be careful on the Internet--where you can be you and/or anyone else you want to be.