Don't take the bait

We live in a generation where the Internet plays a major part in our lives. It is a valuable source that has made it easier to have access to information and stay updated on news.

However, the Internet has revolutionized how we commu- nicate.

By the way of Facebook, Twitter and other social websites, people are not only using the Internet to network with those they know, but also to meet new people to date.

In the most recent research compiled by StatisticBrain.com in June 2012, 40 million Americans have at least tried dating online. The annual revenue for the online dating industry is more than $1 billion.

I've never understood why people would choose to date online. How can you date someone you have never met and only see on a computer screen?

Some people are socially awkward and would rather interact with others online versus face-to-face. Dating online allows a

person to search and select potential dates based on interests.

Still, dating online can be risky. Some people use fake iden- tities and provide false information about themselves.

When news broke last month about Notre Dame University linebacker Manti Te'o being involved with an online dating hoax, I thought it was a lesson to college stu- dents and/or anybody who uses social networks. (Te'o developed a relationship for a few years online with a woman that never existed and was fabricated by another man.)

Before you say you are in a relationship with somebody, actually meet that person.

MTV's "Catfish: The TV Show" exposes the negatives of online dating. The term "catfish" refers to a person using fake profiles online. He or she pretends to be another person using someone else's pictures and information. A "catfish" uses social networks with the intention of getting other peo- ple or a person to fall in love with them. You are considered "catfished" if you fall victim to dating someone online who is using false information.

If you like meeting people on the Internet with the idea of possibly dating them, please be careful. Don't get "catfished!"