The idea of pretending to be someone your not never gets old and kids are highly susceptible to “faking” identities. There is even a name for this in the online world — “catfishing”– and its common enough to have inspired a movie and a TV show,which I highly recommend watching together with your teen.  But creating a false persona isn’t the only bait-and-switch game out there. New apps let kids boost, create, or totally fabricate reality, tapping into the pressure kids feel to project a certain public image. Teens are especially vulnerable, since a lot of their social lives play out online, and they may be tempted to lie using tech.  

Kids can fake a GPS location, create a fake friends, or even buy followers and “likes.” Learn more about helping your kids use social media safely and responsibly, and how to help them think through the consequences of creating fake profiles. Here’s a sampling of the new tools that take catfishing to a whole new level.

Have a great week and don’t forget to use Common Sense,