The rise of AI-generated nudes and their impact on student well-being
Content warning: This content might not be suitable for audiences of all ages. It contains content that may be sensitive to students. Please review the content of this post before sharing it with your students.
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.
As of the beginning of 2023, 415,000 fake porn images were posted to the internet, gathering over 90 million views. However, these are not just deepfakes, which are AI-generated photos and videos of others or celebrities. People are taking photos from social media of their crushes, friends, and neighbors and using AI technology to generate nude photos and videos of them. For students, the rise of fake nudes is especially concerning, as they can spread quickly and be incredibly stressful to deal with.
Currently, there are very few policies in place governing deepfake porn and AI-generated nudes, making it difficult for students struggling with fake nudes of themselves spreading online. Since there are few legal resources to help those targeted by fake nudes, it’s important that educators huddle with students to discuss the implications of using AI to develop inappropriate and explicit content. Ultimately, students need guidance on how to play to their core values while navigating AI, social media, and technology and respecting the privacy and boundaries of others online.
Understanding the Impact on Students
The repercussions of AI-generated deepfake content extend far beyond the confines of the internet. When deepfakes are shared online, students’ self-esteem and mental health are adversely impacted, and trying to control the spread can cause overwhelming stress for students.
In one example, Famous YouTube influencer Gabi Belle went online to find fake naked photos of her body circulating social media. Gabi knew the photos weren’t real, and she contacted her team to take them down. However, once they were removed, more fake images resurfaced. Gabi mentioned feeling “yucky and violated” after seeing the deepfakes of herself online. She was targeted by nearly 100 fake photos, illuminating the ease of how quickly this content can spread online and the violation and vulnerability experienced by victims.
In another instance, a New Jersey High School student was caught using AI to manipulate real photos to create pornographic images of classmates. These photos were spread over text and social media during the summer break, concerning parents, educators, and local police alike about how student mental health would be impacted.
When students’ privacy is violated in such a way, the emotional toll is heavy, leading to feelings of shame, violation, and a distorted sense of self.
The spread of student deepfakes is an unprecedented challenge many schools don’t know how to combat. It is difficult to stop the spread of fake nudes once they begin to circulate, so ultimately, the problem must be prevented. By huddling with students on this issue with their class, educators can guide students to know where to turn to for support, how to protect their well-being, and how to make high-character decisions while navigating social media and tech, like AI, to avoid causing harm to others emotionally and mentally.
Tell me more
Recognizing the multifaceted consequences of this challenge and how it impacts primarily female students is important for educators so that they can prevent the spread of deepfake nudes and effectively address their students’ needs. In fact, 90% of AI tools that are used to create non-consensual deepfake porn or fake nudes impact women and teens. To minimize the impact on student mental health, educators can integrate discussions on online safety, privacy protection, and the ethical use of technology into their curriculum and huddle with students regularly to encourage open communication.
The expansion of AI-generated adult content has surged by over 290% on the internet’s top 10 platforms, as highlighted by industry analyst Genevieve Oh. These platforms feature manipulated imagery of public figures like New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as well as unsuspecting young individuals, such as the New Jersey high school students, exposing them to potential harm, extortion, and privacy violations.
The absence of a federal law regulating deepfake explicit content leaves many students vulnerable, with only a few states implementing legal measures. In response, President Biden’s recent executive order on AI encourages companies to adopt labeling AI content, though it does not mandate them, to distinguish AI-generated photos, videos, and audio from human-made content. The situation underscores the need for AI and social media education in schools so that students are empowered to navigate technology positively.
TSI’s Take
By empowering students with the knowledge and skills to play to their core values and use technology for good while safeguarding their privacy online, educators can guide them toward becoming intelligent, responsible students who not only understand the risks of spreading fake images on social media but actively engage in positive online practices. When educators huddle with their students on the implications of their social media use, what they share online, and the best ways to protect their privacy, they’re supporting their well-being and safeguarding their mental health.
To empower students to use technology for good while protecting their privacy online, check out these tips:
- Remind students not to post or share something they wouldn’t want to be shared of themselves: It goes back to the Golden Rule– treat others the way you would like to be treated. While it’s a saying most of us have heard several times, it’s especially important to keep it in mind when posting online so that you always respect others, their privacy, and their boundaries when navigating social media and AI. Always think before you post or share!
- Huddle with students on the positives and challenges of AI: Discuss how using AI to create fake nudes is not only incredibly harmful, but it can hurt your academic and social reputation and potentially someone else’s. Instead, encourage positive AI use, such as using the technology as a study buddy, to express yourself creatively, and pursue new hobbies, to name just a few.
- Tell students that if they see photos posted of themselves without consent (especially inappropriate ones), they should report it to an adult they trust. While it won’t completely fix the problem, it is the most effective way to address it and get the photos taken down. Seeking revenge or doing nothing only makes the problem worse.
By understanding, analyzing, and actively addressing the impact of AI-generated content, we create a safer, more responsible, and more empathetic social media community for our students. Check out this blog post for more ways to encourage students to use tech positively.
#WinAtSocial Huddle Question
Huddle with your students
In terms of social media and what is shared online, everyone has different boundaries for what they’re comfortable seeing and posting. What matters most is that we respect everyone’s boundaries, even if they’re different from ours. What steps can you take when using social media to make sure you’re respecting the boundaries, preferences, and privacy of others?
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.