How Do We Know Who and What to Trust Anymore?
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| Credit: https://www.hoyes.com /blog/beware-fake-canada-revenue-agency-calls/ |
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| Credit: http://www.netnewsledger.com /2017/10/30/opp-warning-public-ongoing-cra-scam/ |
An example is when people would call claiming to be the CRA
and ask for money or threaten to call the RCMP to the citizens’ home if they do
not comply. Many people would become fearful and instantly comply without a
second thought as to question the source and their credibility. How do we know
what is real and what is fake anymore? The best tip I would give would be to
only provide your personal information on the phone if you have been the one to
contact them versus if they have called, therefore you can be certain that the
caller is legitimate.
Another example of fake accounts would be catfishing, which
is louring someone in with a fake account for the purpose of deceiving or
taking advantage of them. This is often seen on dating sites with photos taken
off the internet, or with other social accounts for the purpose of gaining
access to the person or their personal information. This of course has become
more prominent in the age of the internet, as the internet has made the world
seem smaller in the sense that everyone is more connected and it is easy to
contact anyone as well as it is easy to manipulate who they think you are as you
are not meeting in person.
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| Credit: https://prezi.com/kmjjrhepcibh/internet-catfishing/ |
Even apps that provide access to new and cheaper alternatives
to direct transportation such as Uber or Loyalty have their downsides if you’re
not careful. This is especially true when people are too trusting of others as
it used to be too easy for someone to claim to be an Uber drive just to get
people to climb into their car. Now the service is a bit more secure and
cautious of these incidences as the app provides the user with a licence plate
number and the driver’s photo and name so they can easily identify who is truly
an Uber driver as opposed to a potentially dangerous imposter. As seen in the video
bellow, this Youtuber demonstrates to people what can go wrong if they are not
careful enough in trusting that every Uber driver is who they claim to be.
Of course, I don’t want it to come across that all media connected
to the internet is nothing but negative and harmful, after all, social media,
email and phone apps were all created for the sake of creating a better society
and making everyone’s lives easier and more convenient. However, I believe it
is very important to be aware of the strength of capabilities it possesses, and
to be cautious as to not believe everything that you see and hear online.
I'm not sure what they currently teach in elementary and middle school these days, but this is why I've always been in support of more thorough internet and computer usage lessons. For better or worse, they are becoming a huge part of everyday life, and younger people especially need to be able to know how to properly utilize without putting themselves at risk.
ReplyDeleteHi Lauren!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that it is very hard to tell what is true or false on the internet. There has been many fake stories that has circulating the media which has caused fear in people. So much so, that there is even a TV show explicitly for Cat-fishing. Most of the younger generation have grown up knowing that the internet can be manipulated, therefore they can figure out more easily if the information they are being given is real or not. Many of our grandparents are not as familiar with the internet and are easily susceptible. An example, is that one time my grandmother called my mom saying that she got an email telling her she could win thousands of dollars but she first had to send some cash first. Obviously, it was a scam, but my grandmother thought she had the possibility of winning money.
I think a good rule of thumb is to treat the internet the same way you would in person. We don't readily give out personal information to people blindly, so I don't know why you would do it online. As you stated no one really reaches out for your personal information, you usually initiate that contact.
ReplyDeleteGood idea to think about swindles and dangers of the divide between fake and real. I wonder how this has changed our relationship to media from phone or mail scams of previous media environments. I noticed that on your main landing page the posts are out of chronological order, which leaves the reader searching for the most recent (May 12 was the top post when I looked just now). Be sure it's easy for your reader to access the newest posts.
ReplyDeleteHello Lauren,
ReplyDeleteI feel that technology has opened doors for people who feel the need to take advantage of others. I know in high school, parents and students were given the opportunity to listen to a guest speaker that covers safety precautions while using Facebook and others forms of social media that can help to keep their loved one’s safe. I also feel that people who have been victims of these terrible acts are speaking up and are sharing their experiences by posting on social media to keep others on high alert. I feel that people need to STOP believing everything that they see on social media as it can put their safety at risk. Instead, do some research and ask questions before making a decision before engaging in something that may seem out of the norm.
Thank you,
Ioana