Virtual relationships established through social media can sometimes have undesirable consequences. Stating that there are precautions that can be taken against the traps in the virtual world, Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy emphasized that it is especially important for children to be informed by their families. It is necessary to pay attention to fake profiles, profile photos and identity information.
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy, Vice Rector of Üsküdar University and Director of the Institute of Addiction and Forensic Sciences, pointed out the importance of raising awareness against the traps set over the internet.
Stating that some of the relationships established over the internet can result in disappointment or unwanted results, Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy said, "For those who want to look for friends in the virtual world, the conditions may seem very attractive. The person communicates at home, that is, in the area where they feel the safest and most comfortable. Social media platforms have made communication easier. But unfortunately, the person in front of them may not be a real person. The photo in the profile may not really be that person and this may end up in unexpected places."
Profile photo can be searched retrospectively
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy stated that there are some methods to detect people who make up a fictitious identity for themselves with fake photos and names on their social media accounts and said, "The simplest one is to search the photo in the profile. By using the retrospective photo search engine on Google, they can determine whether the photo in question has been published elsewhere before. Secondly, they can check whether the IP number is linked to the city where the person lives to see if they live where they say they live. Google's IP search engine can be utilized."
Did we really go to the same school?
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy stated that people who want to connect with people they do not know on social media contact the other party by claiming that they are from their old school or old workplace, and said that some questions should be asked to determine whether this person really knows them.
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy stated that questions that seem simple but disturb the other party should be asked and said, "For example, 'Which high school did you go to? Or 'Which teacher did you like the most? Which lesson did that teacher teach? With retrospective questions, it may be possible to both disturb and control that person. In addition, when we ask for an e-mail address from the other person, if that person hesitates to give an e-mail address, this is also a big question mark."
One should not be afraid of threats
Drawing attention to the danger that such relationships established in the virtual world can sometimes result in threats and blackmail, Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy made the following evaluations:
"People who carry on a relationship over social media for a long time without knowing the other person, sometimes engage in sexual communication, sometimes send private photos to the other person, cannot end this relationship after a while. Because they are afraid. They experience fear and anxiety, saying 'What if this relationship is revealed, what if someone tells my family that I wrote something like this, what if my family finds out about the photo I gave them, I will be in a very difficult situation'. But we shouldn't be afraid of this because it is better to avoid harm and danger."
The number one reason for these traps is economic gain
Stating that the biggest reason for such traps and dangers is economic benefit, Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy said, "There are people who do this for economic benefit. In other words, when the person you meet on the internet invites you to a place one day and you go to meet them or when they start whining after a while saying 'I want to come to you but I don't have money', you make a big mistake and start sending money. When money is involved, there is an economic benefit. Unfortunately, when you try to go to him/her and you go to establish a relationship for a long time, you may pay a heavier price. You think that you get on well with this person and that you want to live together. If you don't have your own money, you can gradually take things from home or even your mother's gold and go on the road. And where you go, unfortunately, a gang may actually be waiting for you."
Children need to be told about the dangers
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy stated that families should definitely control their children and make the necessary warnings about the dangers in social media and said, "Children need to be taught other things. One of them is of course that they should be told that they should not trust anyone they meet on the internet. They should be told that the person they communicate with may actually be someone else, someone who hides their identity, the person they think is 11-12 years old may actually be an adult, or the person they know as a girl may actually be an adult male. The child should be told that they should not meet the person they met on the internet or that they should never give out private information in case the person wants to know their address. If such information is requested, the child should be asked to inform his/her parents. It is important to always have a close relationship with the child and establish a strong communication."
No adult needs the help of a child
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy pointed out the importance of informing the child about the dangers outside and said, "The child needs to know that no adult needs the help of a child. They do not ask the child for help by saying 'I lost my dog, let's look for it together' or ask the child for directions by saying 'How do you get there? The second important point is that the child should never get into an automobile with a stranger. He should leave the school with the person who will pick him up from school."