The act of establishing a deceptive online profile on a prominent social media platform involves fabricating personal details and identity. This practice aims to misrepresent the user’s true identity to other users on the platform. For instance, an individual might use a fictitious name, location, and background information to interact anonymously or under an assumed persona.
The motivations behind establishing such profiles are varied. These can range from safeguarding privacy and testing social media platform features to more problematic activities such as spreading misinformation or engaging in malicious behavior. Historically, the rise of social media has paralleled the increased prevalence of these deceptive profiles, presenting ongoing challenges for platform security and user trust.