Pandy · 10 answers · 4y

What are your thoughts on catfish (those who identify as someone they are not)?

Sounds like a false alias... or mystery surprise. In an ocean filled with many of creatures, odds are when online it is easy to fall for the sparkle of what may be under the true depths.... :V ( fun fact) I'm not fox but... hey I am a foxy rascal

[09-15-19]

Mostly I don't think about them. It seems sad and sadistic. "You want to hurt someone who's already in a sad vulnerable state? " For financial gain is understandable.

Not catfishing per se, but I'm pretty sure everyone on spring is the same person, but I do like it when they're some accounts more than others.

What about stonefishes? They lure u close and then beat u with a stone. Funny creatures :D

It's whatever, it's not like people don't lie their asses off about themselves IRL, the lies just get bigger and bolder and a bit harder to call out when you can hide behind a screen...that doesn't mean it's OK, it just means the same rules apply on and offline - caveat emptor and whatnot

i think it's rotten to do it on dating sites but in a platonic type thing i guess it's harmless, i'm friends with someone on twitter who claims to be Trump, UNLESS IT IS! O_o

I understand their motivations. If you're a fat slob on the internet, your opinions are made less valid than someone attractive. But it is wrong and coercive, good intentions aside.

On a side note, catfishing is just one of many ways the internet lies to us. It's so easy to create fake movements (astroturfing) or mislead people into believing you live a better life than you're able to have like: https://i.imgur.com/mKdMXNv.jpg

That's the main reason I don't really take myself too seriously on here.

I'm okay with some kid on the internet posing as a Sour Patch Kid bc it's funny but you shouldn't mislead people about who you are. it's weird & insecure at its best and can be dangerous at its worst

That covers a wide range of people. Like BEN says, it depends on their intentions. Catfish who try to scam others are scum of the earth, IMHO. Another heinous reason for catfishing would be to lure someone into meeting you in private on a date or something and then rob them, rape them, kill them, or whatever. Other than that I think catfish aren't totally ethical but they're relatively harmless, save for maybe causing some people huge disappointments.

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