How To Stop Catfishing Online And Protect Your Kids From Internet Predators

By Sarah Smith


The internet is an amazing way to communicate with the whole world. Those who are lucky enough to have electronic devices can take advantage of the a wide range of opportunities. The internet has created a massive opening for predators as well. One of the most important jobs you have as a parent is protecting your children. If you are giving them access to the internet you must know how to stop catfishing online before it gets a chance to start.

A lot of children know more about internet terminology that their parents do. If you are not familiar with the meaning of catfishing, you need to get educated fast. Catfish are predators who create fake identities, profiles, and pictures in an effort to fool unsuspecting individuals. They might be targeting kids for sexual purposes or as a way to manipulate them. It's important that you do everything possible to minimize the risks to your children.

Kids who are old enough to have internet access are old enough to learn internet responsibility. Kids love sharing pictures with friends, but catfish could be looking at them too. Predators will flatter children to get close to them. There are privacy settings on social media sites that will only allow certain people to view pictures. If someone else is going to post pictures of your child, they need to tag him or her so you all know it was done.

You will have to teach your kids to avoid strangers who want to have private conversations with them. Most kids are pretty trusting. Predators know how to manipulate that. You need to make sure your child is only having conversations in groups. Predators don't like witnesses.

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 signs that should make you suspicious about someone who is interacting with your child online. Some catfish set up elaborate profiles, but don't have any other presence on the internet. Their profiles are often fairly new. A catfish might have a lot of friends, but none of them seem to who the person actually is.

Searching an image is a great way to catch a catfish. You only have to copy the image and paste it into a search engine. If the picture is a fake, it will pop up in numerous places, including social media pages. It could even be the image of a celebrity. Once you know you have discovered a catfish, you need to block him immediately.

Modern technology is wonderful. It opens a lot of doors for people of all ages. Protecting your kids from the negative elements that exist online is paramount though. Catfish can strike anywhere. You have to remain vigilant and know who your child is talking to.




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