Nowadays, easy access to social media results in a notable increase in fake social media accounts. This phenomenon facilitates false interactions, which can act as an incentive for digital crimes due to a lack of consequences, as these accounts are hard to trace. Ideally, this can be prevented by requiring some form of personal identification when creating an account.
Recently, fake accounts across social media platforms have threatened people’s safety. This is because claiming an anonymous or unreal identity removes the accountability for inappropriate actions, as the person is hiding behind that fake account. Therefore, individuals are more prone to actions such as scamming or cyberbullying, causing unpleasant user experiences. For example, many fake online shops market certain products, and the customer ends up receiving a different product or, in some cases, nothing at all. Due to the lack of real information on these accounts, customers end up losing their money.
One key solution is that a system of verified accounts should be adopted, whereby only upon providing a reliable ID would the account be considered official. This can help tremendously to decrease the threat, as the profile owners would fear the possible consequences of their digital crimes, knowing that they can be easily traced. By doing that, individuals can selectively filter their interactions with verified accounts only, to protect their rights and ensure safe communication.
In conclusion, although fake accounts can increase the threat to people’s online security through theft and falsely claimed identities, there are measures that can be taken to minimize these unsafe interactions and enhance users’ overall experience, such as linking accounts to personal ID to confirm identity and place accountability on irresponsible users.