Deepfake – Audio-visual media that has been generated or manipulated using AI, which misrepresents someone or something.
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| Another example of Deepfakes used in political misinformation attacks |
The use of AI to alter existing images or video material has become a rapidly growing area of concern for law enforcement, regulators, parents and young people. To some young people it will seem clever to create what they regard as funny about a friend and pass it on to their contacts online.
Once these media items are published online they can take on a life of ther own and cause real pain and anquish for children and families that become the target of more damaging deepfake material.
There are many news stories about this issue such as a search on google will demonstrate. This one from the BBC in 2024 "I was deepfaked by my best friend". Another, report, published on 14th August 2025, in the Sun newspaper entitled "My son, 16, killed himself over terrifying realistic deepfake... as sick 'nudifying' apps sweep YOUR child's classroom", makes it clear just how dangerous this use of AI technolgy is. (this report is accessible to Sun subscribers only)
Using AI tools to create deepfake media isn't illegal but the distribution of it is.
More information is provided by the UK Police here.
A major report from the children's commissioner in the UK, "One day this could happen to me” Children, nudification tools and sexually explicit deepfakes sets out the isssues and provides valuable information for anyone dealing with children.
