Catfishing and Phishing
With great power comes great responsibility. The internet has given people across the globe incredible power, something I’ll admit I often take for granted. AI is one of the biggest examples. Its potential is mind blowing: it can be used to create, to innovate, and to push society forward. But just as easily, it can be twisted into a tool for deception and exploitation. Every so often, I’ll get a text from my grandparents asking if a strange message they received is real. Almost always, it’s not, and I can’t help but feel a little anger that someone is deliberately trying to prey on their lack of tech experience. My parents do the same, sending me screenshots of suspicious links or “urgent” emails, double checking if they’re safe. On one hand, I’m glad they’re cautious. On the other, I hate that criminals force people into this constant state of suspicion. Discussing catfishing and phishing in class opened my eyes even more. The articles and videos we studied shocked me with their stat...