Kids today never knew a world without the internet. They communicate by texting and on social media. As adept as even small children are with technology, people who use the internet for illegal purposes are getting even more sophisticated. It is the job of parents to protect their children. When kids are allowed access to social media, it's the parents' responsibility to learn how to stop catfishing online in their own homes.
If your kids are on the internet, and you don't know what an online catfish is, you are making your kids vulnerable to predators. A catfish is someone who creates a false identity with a made up profile and fake photos. Some target unsuspecting kids for sexual purposes. Other times their goal is to manipulate or bully a specific child. Parents can stop this behavior by being diligent.
Permission to use the internet should come with online responsibility lessons. Everybody loves to share photos on social media, but this is one way catfish attach themselves to kids. They will flatter them and try to create a relationship. You have to create privacy settings and make sure your kids are tagged when a friend or relative posts a picture that includes them.
The more a predator can isolate a child online, the easier it is for him to cause damage and get personal information. Parents need to insist that children avoid private conversations. There is safety in group discussions. Predators don't want witnesses to what they are doing or who they are targeting.
Just like you teach children to be wary of strangers in real life, you need to teach them to do the same on social media. As a parent it is your obligation to be nosy. You have a right to know who your kids are talking to on social media. If you see someone unfamiliar to you, you should ask your child who it is and how he knows them. You don't want to be accusatory, just interested and concerned.
There are certain signs you should recognize as a potential catfish. Some of them will set up sophisticated profiles but when you search, not show up anywhere else on the internet. They might have new profiles with lots of friends. Catfish won't post details or have much interaction with their so called friends.
One easy way to uncover a catfish is to take his profile picture and download the image into a search engine. If the picture is fake, the image will probably pop up on several sites. Catfish even use images of famous people. If you find out your child is being catfished, you need to block the person immediately.
Social media is a great way for kids and adults to connect with one another. It can also be a dangerous place for those who are too trusting. These are the people catfish target because they are the easiest ones to reel in.
