It’s much easier to lie about yourself (or embellish, if you will) on the internet than it is in person. How do you know that a person really “likes” a certain band or brand? How do you know that profile picture isn’t 5 years old? How do you even know if the person is really who they say they are?

A new short film from Matthew Graham explores these questions. It’s called “Hooked,” and it tackles the worst case scenario when it comes to fake identities on social networks.

Of course, befriending a random person on Facebook will rarely lead to your kidnapping and eventual torture and murder – but it’s not like Facebook cannot be a dangerous place. It’s a forum that, no matter how hard Facebook admins try, promotes a certain level of anonymity. The film’s creators said that this two-year-old Australian story about a missing girl lured away by a fake Facebook profile was their inspiration. We’ve also reported on almost unbelievable instances of criminals using Facebook to find victims. Facebook is an open-information platform at the center of the internet. Be smart, and be discerning.

[via reddit]