There is no exclusive or single reason as to why people fake their identity online. Though psychologists have examined various cases, investigating the minds behind the screen, almost all of the statements that are made by them begin with the phrase “they may”. They may feel this way, they may be experiencing troubles of their own, they may be lonely and so on and so forth. There seems to be no definitive answers or research. Amongst these seemingly insecure statements however, does exist what appears to be somewhat of a common theme. Contrary to popular belief, the issue of catfishing was not created by the internet. Rather, the internet provided a platform to expedite the process, making it easier for the catfish to lure and trick their victims. Prior to the creation and wide-spread use of computers and the internet, catfishing a victim could take years. These certain situations are comprised of long-term, in-person relationships in which the end becomes the big reveal. Maybe they were using you, or maybe they were unfaithful. Whatever the case may be, they proved themselves to be something other than what they truly were. Since the rise of digital communication and social media popularity, catfishing has progressed and evolved far beyond the simple act of lying about your interests and personality. It has metamorphosed into pretending to be someone else entirely. But what is it about the catfish that makes the identity of another being so appealing? Why is this their escape of choice?
Though sometimes easy to ignore, the issue of people using the internet, pretending to be something that they are not, is one that happens all the time. It happens as you scroll through Instagram and Twitter feeds, or as you tend to your virtual farm on Facebook. As far as you know, someone could be using your personal posted photographs on their own profile, claiming to other social media users that they are the person in the pictures; that they are you. With the use of the internet, whether it be social or otherwise, there is always a risk. You could click on the wrong thing and unknowingly download a virus onto your device. The person who just friended you, though you swear you’ve seen them around, is actually a complete stranger. But it gets worse. In the realm of the virtual world that is the internet, there exists sexual predators, human traffickers, those with the intent to kill– the list only goes on. Dangerously enough, it is not out of the ordinary for these people to be the ones using your photographs or friending you on Facebook under a faux profile. No, not all people who create a fake internet persona have intentions as malicious as murder or criminal activity in general, but there does exist a handful who do. Take for example Phillip Markoff, also known as the Craigslist Killer. Luring women on the premise of desire, he was able fatally harm others using the medium of technology. It’s a terrifying prospect, but it happens- and way more than you would think.
A bit more prevalent, and on the opposite end of the spectrum, exists the Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o who fell victim to someone pretending to be something they were not, resulting in a relationship with someone who never really existed. These are the incidents most popular in relation to the term ‘catfish’. MTV has produced both a movie, and movie spin off dedicated to such people– those online who pretend to be something other than what they are. From such cases was born the film Catfish. The movie was centered around Nev Schulman (who eventually came to be the host and producer of the TV show spinoff) who’s internet relationship begins to show details that just don’t add up. Avoiding confrontation, lying about aspects of her life, the woman with whom Nev is in a relationship, after further investigation, is not the youthful and attractive woman who she claimed to be. Rather, his beautiful love interest revealed herself to be an older woman, having surpassed her glory days and struggling to care for her two mentally disabled sons. Through his tedious investigation of the matter, it dawned on him that what he endured was not an uncommon occurrence. The term catfish is coined at the end of the movie by the woman’s real life husband, Vince, “They used to tank cod from Alaska all the way to China. They’d keep them in vats in the ship. By the time the codfish reached China, the flesh was mush and tasteless. So this guy came up with the idea that if you put these cods in these big vats, put some catfish in with them and the catfish will keep the cod agile. And there are those people who are catfish in life. And they keep you on your toes. They keep you guessing, they keep you thinking, they keep you fresh.” Technology is both a blessing and a curse, but regardless, surrounds everyone, everyday. With websites such as social media, people are given the power to either create the image of themselves that they’ve always wanted, or remain true to who they are. The people who choose the former are those we call a ‘catfish’. It is those people who abuse the power of technology, manipulating any one person, using these mediums for evil rather than good.