Online profiles
Anyone who is reading this should have an online profile which is essentially information about a person which can be found online. An online profile, while not publicly shown, also includes online behaviour, including purchasing habits and personal interests.
Companies such as Youtube and Facebook track your online activity such as what you like or what ads you skip more so they can provide premium promotional services on their websites and for advertisers to focus on a specific target audience. When you sign in to an online service with your email address often there are immediate recommendations that are meant to cater to your lifestyle. This is known as online profiling.
I feel that the most active online profiles come from Instagram, which is designed mainly to share videos and pictures. I use Instagram. I usually just have a lot of cats in my feed, but occasionally there are posts by my friends which could expose their location. We should be aware when taking pictures. On the porch? Watch the number plate. On the road? Just make sure there are no signboards around.
There is another danger that hides among these online profiles, that is full of trickery and deceit. When a person creates or uses the identity of a different person on social media to con victims, ‘catfishing’ is afoot. Catfishers have a variety of intentions behind catfishing: financial gain, exposure, private entertainment and so on.
Many famous catfishing cases originate from dating websites, where one uses a fake identity to lure the other person into performing actions to the catfisher’s will through pictures and elaborate text. The catfisher could give an excuse for money from the victim. In some cases, the catfisher demands to meet up at a place where the victim would be kidnapped. Signs of catfishing include refusing to video call or meet up and limited pictures of the person.
Just like with all things online, danger lurks while we enjoy ourselves in great leisure, thus profiles should also be under regular supervision.
By: Kyle Ashraaf
