Protecting tweens and teens from deepfakes | A Guide for Parents

If you’re the parents of a tween or teen, then you’ll want to read this post about deep fakes, as it’s a safety conversation every parent should be having.

It’s also a conversation that most parents don’t know they need to have, as it is a new online problem that has been created because of AI (or artificial intelligence).

This blog post is designed to let you know what deepfakes are, why they’re a problem, and what you can do to protect your young person.

If you want to learn more about other risks your child may face online, then head over to my Online Safety Risks page. You can also learn more about porn and internet safety, on my Pornography 101 page.

Let’s get started!

What are deepfakes?

Deepfakes are online content created using AI software. It’s fake and shows a person doing or saying something they didn’t do.

So you can share a photo of someone’s face and use AI to create an image, video or audio of them having sex. The fake image is so realistic, that most people won’t know that it is fake.

If you want to know more about how AI generates deepfakes, read this article about how generative AI works.

Why are deepfakes a problem?

Deepfakes are problematic because they are a form of bullying, where someone will create a nude deepfake of a person and then circulate it to shame them.

As technology has improved and decreased in price, teenagers have started to use AI to create deepfakes of their peers.

Deepfakes are also an issue for other reasons. This technology has also been used to create child sexual exploitation material, non-consensual pornographic material, malicious hoaxes, bullying, theft, fraud, spreading of misinformation and for manipulating public opinion. They are also becoming a problem in schools.

Research from the UK in 2024, found that 13% of 9-17 year olds have had some kind of experience with a nude deepfake. They also found that twice as many boys were involved than girls. And that boys were more likely to be the creator of the nude deepfake, and girls are more likely to be the victims.

They also discovered that teenagers see nude deepfake abuse as worse than image abuse featuring real pictures. Over half of the teenagers, believed that it would be worse to have a deepfake nude created and shared of them than a real image.

The major problem with deepfakes, though, is that they usually aren’t illegal, which means police are unable to assist. Deepfakes are a relatively new problem, and existing legislation in most countries or states can’t be applied to them. So governments worldwide are scrambling to create legislation that will make them illegal.

How to spot a deepfake

As technology improves, it is becoming increasingly difficult to tell if a video, audio or image is fake (or not).

The eSafety Commision in Australia suggests that you can check for:

• blurring, cropped effects or pixilation (small box-like shapes), particularly around the mouth, eyes and neck
• skin inconsistency or discoloration
• inconsistency across a video, such as glitches, sections of lower quality and changes in the lighting or background
• badly synced sound
• irregular blinking or movement that seems unnatural or irregular
• gaps in the storyline or speech.

They also suggest questioning the context of the deepfake by thinking about whether that person is likely to do that.

Why do I need to talk about it?

Parents need to have these conversations so that young people know that deepfake videos, audio and images exist, what can happen if you create or share them, and what to do if a deepfake of them is created and shared.

Knowledge empowers young people, as they can’t protect themselves if they are unprepared and uninformed.

Deepfakes can cause some serious damage to a person’s reputation and well-being, even without any blackmail involved. These manipulated videos can be shared with the victim’s friends, classmates, and even family, leading to emotional distress, anxiety, depression, and social isolation. It’s a tough situation for the victims because the deepfakes can be incredibly convincing and spread like wildfire on the internet, making it hard to minimise the impact.

Imagine having your face swapped onto someone else’s body in a video and then having it shared with everyone you know. It’s not only embarrassing but can also have long-lasting consequences. Victims of deepfakes often find themselves in a vulnerable position, struggling to defend themselves against the harmful effects of these videos.

What if my child is a victim of deepfakes?

If someone bullies your child by using deepfakes, here’s what you can do…

Collect evidence

It’s important to gather as much evidence as possible. Take screenshots or recordings of the harmful content, noting when and where it was shared, and the usernames involved. But remember, don’t save or share the actual deepfake content iself, as it may be illegal if it is an image of a person under the age of 18 (may be older in some countries). Read this article from the eSafety Commission in Australia, about how to collect online evidence.

Report it

Find out if deepfakes are illegal in the state and/or country that you live in by doing an internet search. For example, ‘Are deepfakes illegal in England?’,  or ‘Are deepfakes illegal in Californa?’. 

If they are illegal, check to see if there is a government organisation that you can report it to. Alternatively, you can contact the Police and ask them what to do. Reporting it means they can help get the content taken down quickly and even take action against the individuals and platforms responsible.

Stop further contact

Protect yourself by hiding or muting the person’s posts or comments. If necessary, block them after you’ve collected the evidence. Also, update your privacy settings to limit who can contact you, reducing the chances of further distress.

Stop the content from spreading

Prevent the deepfake images or videos from being uploaded to social media and other platforms. 

If your child is under 18, use Take it Down, a free online tool that prevents images or videos from being shared on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Yubo, OnlyFans and Pornhub.

If your child is 18 or older, use StopNCII.org,  a free online tool that prevents images or videos from being shared on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Bumble, OnlyFans and Reddit.

 If you live the UK, you can contact Report Remove, and have the images removed.

Seek help

Consider seeking mental health support for your child, and even yourself, as these situations can be very stressful for everyone involved. Your child will need emotional support and reassurance that they aren’t alone or at fault. Ensure them that you’re there to support them and sort everything out.

What if my child is creating deepfakes?

If you find out that your child is sharing deepfake pornography, it’s really important to address the situation right away, but in a sensitive way. Start by having an open and honest conversation with your child about the serious consequences of their actions, both legally and ethically. 

Let them know how this kind of behaviour can hurt others and have long-term effects on themselves too. Use this as an opportunity to teach them about empathy, consent, and respecting others’ privacy.

You could consider installing parental control software, as it’ll help you to monitor what they’re doing online. It might also be helpful to involve a counsellor or therapist who can help your child understand the impact of their actions and guide them towards healthier social and online behaviours.

Addressing this issue sensitively and providing guidance can make a real difference in your child’s understanding and future choices.

What do kids need to know about deepfakes?

Start your conversation by exploring what your tween or teen already know about deepfakes. Do they know what deepfakes or fake nudes are? Have they heard their friends talking about them? What do they think and how do they feel about it?

Discuss the impact of deepfakes on young people, and how it is a form of bullying. Share the legislation in your part of the world, and the legal consequences of creating and sharing deep fakes. Encourage your child to think about how they’d feel if it happened to them, e.g. if someone created a naked deepfake of them and shared it at school.

In summary, they need to know what deepfakes are, the consequences of creating them and/or sharing them, the legal implications, and the impact it has on victims.

I hope you find this information helpful!

Happy talking!
❤️ Cath