How a student is using her mic for good to advocate against deepfake explicit content generated by AI
Be sure to check out the suggested Huddle question at the bottom of this article to discuss this important topic with your students in class, if you feel it is appropriate.
From the use of AI to spread misinformation about the upcoming election to using ChatGPT as an educational tool to the ethics of AI-generated art, artificial intelligence has been a hot topic over the past year. And recently, many K-12 schools have grappled with the circulation of deepfake explicit images targeting female students within their communities.
In response to this very situation happening at her school, one student, 9th grader Caroline Mullet at Issaquah High School, spoke up and advocated for legislation to protect her friends and fellow students from having these deepfake nudes distributed, showing students how effective their voices can be when they speak up about issues they’re passionate about. Read on to discover how educators can empower students to use their mics for good to make a change with the rise in AI and encourage students to play to their core online and offline.
How AI-generated images are affecting students
When Caroline Mullet, a student at Issaquah High School, found out some boys in her school were creating deepfake nude photos based on the likeness of her female classmates, she took action. Mullet alerted her father, Washington State Senator Mark Mullet, prompting him to propose a bill that would prohibit sharing AI-generated sexually explicit images of minors. Offenders could face misdemeanor charges initially, with the possibility of felony charges for repeat offenses. This new legislation, called House Bill 1999, was passed and signed with no opposing votes, proving that student voices matter and can be used to make a positive change in their communities.
This is just one example of students and schools across the U.S. working to pass legislation that addresses the challenge of deepfakes that AI poses. The situation at Issaquah High School has happened in multiple schools across the country due to the sharp rise in AI tools. Since last year, many states have enacted laws that ban possessing and spreading these deepfake explicit images of minors. South Dakota and Louisiana have both passed laws banning the possession and sharing of sexually explicit AI-generated images of minors, and two dozen states are working on similar legislation. Yiota Souras, chief legal officer for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, showed the urgency of this situation, saying, “One boy with his phone in the course of an afternoon can victimize 40 girls, minor girls.”
As Mullet shows, students can create powerful and positive change in their communities when they use their mics for good and feel empowered to speak up about issues they care about, like the cyberbullying that happened at her high school. Using her mic for good, Mullet advocated for her classmates who were being cyberbullied with these deepfake images. By equipping students with the strategies to live up to high standards as they navigate new technology, educators play an important role in encouraging students to play to their core with what they post and share on social media and use their mics for good.
TSI’s Take
Because of the many deepfake tools that you can find online, it’s easier than ever for students to create deepfake content, which gets up to 10 million searches monthly. In 2023, there was a 3000% increase in deepfake content. This has given rise to other challenges, like a giveaway scam earlier this year in which deepfake tools were used to make social media ads of Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez promoting a fake giveaway that ended up scamming people by enrolling them in a subscription instead of getting a free giveaway. As deepfake content increases, deepfake explicit content does as well, and 90% of the tools used to create this explicit content affect women and teen girls. Because this issue is impacting students, we must hone in on this topic and encourage students to live up to their core values when using social media and tech to avoid harmful situations like this in the first place.
When students feel like they have a voice, they are 7x more likely to be motivated to learn, 8x more likely to be engaged in school, and 9x more likely to experience purpose in school. Educators can empower students to amplify their voices and speak up so that they have someone they trust to talk to about tough issues such as deepfake nudes. To empower students to play to their core and use their mics for good with AI and social media, educators can encourage open discussion and foster a safe environment where students can address relevant issues and find solutions together.
Here are some more ways to empower your students to navigate this topic:
- Empower students to reach out to local government: When situations like deepfake nudes show up in your community, empower students to get in touch with local legislators to express their concerns and call for a solution. Have students come up with scripts for emails or phone calls to send to local government officials about issues in their community.
- Encourage students to report harmful content to a trusted adult: If students see an AI-generated image of themselves or others posted without their knowledge, encourage them to report the content on social media and reach out to an adult they trust. Educators can do this by creating a classroom environment that is open to discussion so that students will feel empowered to share their voices, even if it’s about difficult topics.
- Emphasize the importance of playing to your core: Urge students to consider what they wouldn’t want to be shared about them online, and encourage them to think about their personal values before they share content of or about others. Have students make a habit of taking a step back while scrolling through their feeds to think about what they’re engaging with.
A lot of positivity can come from educators giving students the opportunity to use their mics for good, like helping others use social media in positive ways. Student voices, like Caroline Mullet’s, are essential to the effort to make positive change in the world and in our communities. As social media and tech continue to evolve, students will undoubtedly face new challenges every day, which allows educators to huddle with their students on the best strategies to navigate it in positive and high-character ways. To discover more ways to empower students to navigate and discuss the impact of AI-generated content, check out the #WinAtSocial Lesson, Exploring our role in ethical A.I. use as deepfake explicit content spreads.
#WinAtSocial Huddle Question
Huddle with your students
Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool, and we can use it in positive ways. What ways do you think you can use AI tools that are helpful instead of harmful?
The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in empowering students by understanding students. Through #WinAtSocial, our gamified, peer-to-peer learning platform, we equip students, educators, and families to navigate their social world – in the classroom and beyond, online and offline – in healthy, high-character ways. Our unique, student-respected approach empowers and equips, rather than scares and restricts. We incorporate timely topics about social media, tech use, and current events that are impacting student well-being and learning. #WinAtSocial Lessons teach life skills for the modern day, capture student voice, and provide school leaders with actionable insights. Through these insights, students play an essential role in school efforts to support their own health, happiness, and future success as we enable high-impact teaching, meaningful family conversations, and a healthy school culture.