
The GAA catfish story shows just how vulnerable we all are online
You might think it could never happen to you, but the GAA catfish story has laid bare just how fragile we all are in our online worlds.
When The 2 Johnnies dropped part 3 of the GAA Catfish saga last week my phone fell out of my hand. I mean it. I am not exaggerating here. The GAA catfish debacle has been catnip for those reared in the clublands of rural Ireland. While city folk can still be gripped by the truly terrifying tale of deceit and deception, it hit hard for those who grew up in small towns and villages, where the GAA club is the centrepiece and the people within it the heart of the community.
Any of the men targeted could be your brother, your son, your cousin, your best friend or even your ex-boyfriend.
After a second listen, it became clear to me just how vital this story is for the entire island.
In 2022, parts one and two created a national sensation. Two years ago, the production of the story on the popular show was well-executed and enthralling but part three was a different beast. It was sleek and gripping. The soundscaping, the narrative threads and the voice actors all melded together to create a listening experience that filled listeners with dread, fear and a strange sense of wonder at how one individual could weave a web so intricate.
Since its release, TikTok has been flooded with countless videos dissecting every detail of the drama, WhatsApp group chats are buzzing with rumours and all water cooler conversations in the office (on the days that you’re actually in) revolve around one topic and one topic only.
Not only has the podcast offered exceptional listening but it has also delivered crucial truths about how we navigate and govern our internet worlds. And the most important takeaway from the GAA catfish saga part three is that every one of us is vulnerable online.
It doesn’t matter what gender, age or sexual orientation; we are all at risk of being duped. Our online and offline lives are intertwined and for most of us, one can’t survive without the other. We consider ourselves to be masters of the art form but social media is still relatively new and its complexities continue to evolve at a rapid pace. Artificial intelligence is the next frontier of this novel world and will grow to harness capabilities we can’t even begin to comprehend. How do we navigate what is real and what isn’t? What rules will be in place to protect us from dangerous deceit?
Beyond the realm of catfishing, people fall victim to scams through their phones every day. From fraudulent texts to deceptive links, just because someone hasn’t been targeted by a fake persona doesn’t mean they haven’t been tricked in other ways. We are all at risk here.
No matter how entertaining or gossip-worthy this torrid tale may seem, it’s also easy to overlook the real-life damage and lasting impact of this psychological power play. Real men were involved in this deception. They were frauded into believing that a relationship could blossom with the impossibly beautiful Cora O’Donovan or Aoife Kennedy through the screen. Some have raised concerns about how these men maintained online relationships with the women in question despite never having met them in person. Scepticism is natural but when something or someone offers connection and desire, one of our first instincts is to take it. That is simply human nature.
There is a hope that the latest instalment will force the culprit to stop. According to a report in the Sunday World last weekend, there is now an official police probe in Northern Ireland after the PSNI received a complaint alleging harassment.
In Ireland, there is currently no legislation that explicitly makes the act of catfishing illegal but in October of last year, a new bill to tackle the activity online was introduced into Seanad Éireann. The proposed legal prescription would make it a criminal offence, thus giving An Garda Síochána power to act and provide recourse for victims. While there has been no update on the legislation so far, the podcast is likely to reignite public interest and potentially accelerate progress on the matter. The timing of its release is important and will keep this fight front and centre in the political domain.
Sadly, there’s still a glaring lack of accountability from tech giants like Meta, whose lax approach to online safety has drawn widespread criticism. Despite their vast resources, they are often slow to take action against fake accounts, even after they’ve been reported. This is negligence and only acts as a catalyst for more online deception and highlights a worldwide failure to prioritise safeguarding in digital spaces.
As the digital landscape continues to change and expand, the laws and regulations that rule it must do so as well. Governments, tech companies and online platforms need to implement more robust systems to detect and prevent manipulation, whether that be through more stringent account verification processes or stronger penalties for those caught engaging in online fraud.
We need more public awareness and education on how to identify online red flags and protect ourselves. And most importantly, perpetrators must be held accountable. As we saw in the GAA catfish case, even a podcast exposing these actions won’t necessarily deter someone from continuing their double-dealing behaviour.
This story has laid bare our fragility and if action isn’t taken, more troubling accounts will seep into the mainstream, with any of us potentially finding ourselves at the heart of the next GAA catfish story.