Title: Protecting Children from Deepfakes: A Guide for Parents
As the use of deepfakes, inauthentic images, videos, or audio recordings created by artificial intelligence, becomes more prevalent, parents need to be aware of the risks they pose to their children. According to a recent survey, 40% of students and 29% of teachers reported being aware of a deepfake of someone associated with their school. The consequences of these incidents can be severe, including depression, suicide, and sexual assault.
Despite the risks, many schools have failed to share policies and procedures with parents and students about deepfake nonconsensual intimate imagery. Instead, they tend to act only after an incident has occurred, focusing on punishing perpetrators rather than providing support to victims.
To protect their children, parents need to talk to them about the dangers of deepfakes and the importance of never creating or engaging with intimate deepfakes. They should also educate their children about the risks of becoming victims and the importance of online privacy.
Lindsay Lieberman, a Washington, DC-based attorney who represents victims of deepfakes, recommends that parents delay social media and phone use for as long as possible and educate their children about privacy settings and the importance of verifying the identity of those they connect with online.
Parents should also model good cyber hygiene by being careful what they share online and by being open to their children about the dangers of deepfakes. They should also teach their children that they can recover from the experience and that it is not a reflection of their worth.
Victims of deepfakes often face significant psychological, emotional, and financial harm. Parents and victims can report incidents to the police and FBI, and seek support from nonprofits such as the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network and National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
In conclusion, protecting children from deepfakes requires a combination of education, awareness, and support. Parents need to take an active role in warning their children about the dangers of deepfakes and the importance of online safety. By working together, we can help prevent these incidents and support those who have been affected by them.