Table of Contents
Definition
Where someone creates a fake persona on an online service, such as social media or a dating application, and forms a relationship with someone who believes the persona to be real.
Related Terms
Impersonation, Social Engineering, Romance Scam, Identity Deception, Online Misrepresentation.
Background
Catfishing in the Fediverse refers to the act of creating a fake online identity to engage in a deceptive relationship with another account, often for emotional, financial, or social gain, or sometimes for malicious reasons like harassment or disruption. The decentralised nature of the Fediverse means that a catfishing account might build a persona on one community and then interact with accounts on others, making it harder to trace inconsistencies or verify identities across the network.
Due to the autonomy of each community, specific policies on social deception might vary. A service provider might host an account engaging in catfishing – either knowingly or unknowingly – which then interacts with your community members. Volunteer moderators might become aware of catfishing through reports from affected accounts, observed inconsistencies in a suspected account’s behaviour, or when a catfishing scheme unravels and causes distress or disruption within the community. Investigating and confirming catfishing can be complex and time-consuming.
Why We Care
Dealing with catfishing matters because it directly harms the individuals targeted and can damage the trust and safety within your community. These deceptive relationships can lead to significant emotional distress, financial loss, and a sense of betrayal for the victims. When catfishing incidents occur, it can make other community members wary of forming new connections and can undermine the feeling of the community as a safe space for genuine interaction.
If catfishing is perceived as unaddressed, it can erode confidence in the community’s ability to protect its members and maintain a trustworthy environment. This can lead to accounts disengaging or leaving the community.
Spotting Catfishing: What to Look For
Identification of catfishing generally relies on reports from affected accounts or noticing patterns of deceptive social interaction.
Account Traits: Look for profiles that seem “too good to be true,” using unusually attractive or generic photos (which might be stock images or stolen). The account might have a sparse history or inconsistencies in its timeline or background story. They may be new to the community but rapidly forming intense connections.
Content Characteristics: Pay attention to how the account communicates. Catfishing accounts might avoid video calls or meeting in person, offer elaborate excuses for this, or their stories might have holes or change over time. They might express strong emotions or make demands (e.g., for money, explicit images, personal information) relatively early in an interaction.
Posting Patterns: The account might interact intensely with one or a few specific accounts while having minimal broader community engagement. Their online times might not match their claimed location or lifestyle.
Behaviour: Assess if the account focuses on building intense, often romantic or deeply personal, one-on-one relationships quickly. They might be overly complimentary or manipulative. A key indicator is often a reluctance or refusal to verify their identity through means that would be difficult to fake (like a live, unscripted video chat).
Key Questions for Assessment:
- “Is an account being reported for deceptive social behaviour or misrepresentation?”
- “Does the reported account’s story have significant inconsistencies, or do they avoid all forms of real-time, verifiable interaction?”
- “Are there reports of emotional manipulation, or premature/inappropriate requests for money, personal details, or explicit content?”
Some signs that an account may be being used for catfishing are:
- Very few photos, or all photos are professionally staged
- The profile photo is used on multiple personas (review images using “Search by Image” on Google Images, or using TinEye)
- The friendship or relationship progresses very quickly
- Their grammar or spelling is inconsistent with their claimed nationality or language
- Very little public activity, primarily operating in private or direct messaging
Before You Act: Common Pitfalls & Nuances
It’s important to handle suspected catfishing with sensitivity, as accusations can be damaging, and proof is often based on private interactions.
Genuine but Private Accounts: Some accounts are naturally private and may be hesitant to share personal details or engage in video calls without necessarily being deceptive. Not everyone is comfortable with extensive online sharing.
Misunderstandings or Awkwardness: Social awkwardness or miscommunication can sometimes be misinterpreted, especially in text-based interactions across different cultures or comfort levels.
Roleplaying/Parody (if clearly disclosed): Some accounts might engage in roleplaying or parody. This is distinct from catfishing if their fictional nature is clear to those they interact with and not used to deceptively manipulate others into unintended emotional or financial commitments.
Common Gotchas:
- Acting solely on hearsay without some form of corroborating information or clear evidence of deception reported by an affected party.
- Publicly accusing an account of catfishing, which can lead to undue harm to reputation if the suspicion is incorrect. Investigations should be discreet.
- Demanding proof of identity from accounts in a way that oversteps privacy norms, unless there’s a clear, credible report of deceptive harm.
Key Point: The core of catfishing is intentional deception in a relationship for personal gain or malicious intent. Focus on evidence of this deceptive relational behaviour, often brought forward by those directly impacted. Moderation usually involves responding to reports rather than proactively hunting for catfishing accounts.
Managing Suspected Catfishing: Key Steps
When you suspect catfishing, especially based on a report:
- Take Reports Seriously and Discreetly: Assure the reporting account that their concerns will be handled with confidentiality. Avoid public speculation.
- Gather Information from the Reporter: Ask for any evidence they can provide (screenshots of conversations, examples of inconsistencies, details of manipulation). Understand the nature and extent of the harm caused.
- Assess the Evidence (if possible): Review the suspected account’s public activity for any obvious red flags or inconsistencies that align with the report. However, much of the relevant interaction may be private.
- Discuss with Team (if applicable): If part of a moderation team, discuss the report and evidence with fellow moderators or your Service Administrator to determine a course of action.
- Focus on Harm and Deception: The primary concern is the deceptive behaviour and the harm it causes. Actions should be based on clear evidence of such deception.
- Apply Community Guidance: If catfishing is confirmed, enforce your community’s rules. This usually involves banning the catfishing account to protect others.
- Support the Victim: Offer support and resources to the affected account if possible, such as advice on online safety or blocking the perpetrator.
Example Community Guidance
Strike System: “Creating significantly misleading identities for the purpose of deceptive social engagement may result in an official warning and is considered a strike, especially if minor harm or misrepresentation is reported. Further violations can lead to account suspension.”
General Prohibition: “Deceptive impersonation or building relationships based on a knowingly false identity for personal gain or to cause distress is prohibited.”
Strict Enforcement: “Confirmed catfishing, especially involving emotional manipulation, fraud, or causing significant distress, will lead to immediate and permanent account bans.”
