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Pastoral Care
Online Safety - Catfishing
Catfishing refers to someone employing a false identity to deceive you into thinking you're engaging in a genuine online friendship or romance. Once trust is established, catfishers might:
- Publicise your secrets or expose your vulnerability, causing embarrassment or distress.
- Deceive you into sending them money through fraudulent schemes.
- Coerce or manipulate you into sharing intimate photos or engaging in online sexual activities.
- Threaten to expose or exploit you using nude or intimate material, a practice known as 'sextortion.'
- Misuse your personal information to assume your identity and commit identity theft.
By having open and proactive discussions about catfishing, you can help empower your young person to recognise and avoid potential risks while navigating the online world responsibly.
Tips:
- Start with Openness: Begin the conversation in a non-judgmental and open manner. Let your young person know that you want to discuss an important topic related to online safety and they can come to you if they ever feel suspicious or uncomfortable about someone they're talking to online. Emphasise the importance of trust and communication in maintaining their safety.
- Define Catfishing: Explain what catfishing is in simple terms. Describe it as when someone creates a fake online identity to deceive or manipulate others, often for personal gain or to harm others emotionally.
- Discuss Red Flags: Talk about common warning signs of catfishing, such as someone refusing to video chat or meet in person, inconsistencies in their story, or requests for personal or financial information.
- Emphasise Trust and Verification: Stress the importance of verifying the identity of people your young person interacts with online. Encourage them to be cautious and sceptical of strangers, especially if they seem too good to be true.
- Discuss Privacy Settings: Review your young person’s privacy settings on social media with them. Encourage them to keep their profiles private and to be selective about who they accept friend requests or messages from.
- Talk About Consent: Discuss the importance of obtaining consent before sharing personal information or photos online. Remind your teen that they have the right to set boundaries and should never feel pressured to do anything they're not comfortable with. Let your teen know that if they ever find themselves in a situation involving catfishing, you're there to support them without judgement. Reassure them that it's not their fault and that they can take steps to protect themselves. Check-in with your teen periodically to see how they're navigating their online interactions.
Read more at eSafety Catfishing
If you have any concerns about your young person please contact the College. It is important for the St Paul's to know any wellbeing issues that may impact on learning and behaviour at school.
Ms Fiona Stuart - Leader of Pastoral Care