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Y7 (post-rollover) Staying Safe Online.�Lesson 2

Understanding deepfakes and manipulated images

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Do Now: 5 quick questions

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1.	State three features of a positive friendship.
2.	What are some positive, constructive types of communication?
3.	What are some less positive types of communication?
4.	State three things should a person think about before sharing an image.
5.	Give an example of a risk of sharing an image online.

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Do Now: 5 quick questions ANSWERS

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1.	State three features of a positive friendship.	Kindness Respect Honesty Right to privacy Shared interests Having fun Support each other
2.	What are some positive, constructive types of communication?	Informing, uniting, open
3.	What are some less positive types of communication?	Attacking, evasive

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Do Now: 5 quick questions ANSWERS

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4.	State three things should a person think about before sharing an image.	Who will see the image? Why does the person asking want to see it? How does the person feel about others seeing their picture? Does the person in the image agree to it being shared? Are there any risks?
5.	Give an example of a risk of sharing an image online.	Lots of people might see it It could get shared over and over People they don’t know IRL might see it People might see personal things or find out personal info. The person in the image may be upset

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GROUND RULES

Everyone has the right to be heard and respected.
We won’t share our own, or anyone else’s personal experiences.
We won’t put anyone on the spot, and we have a right to pass.
We won’t judge or make assumptions about anyone.
We will comment on what was said, not the person who said it.
We will use language that won’t offend or upset people.

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Y7 (post-rollover) Staying Safe Online.�Lesson 2

Understanding deepfakes and manipulated images

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To learn about the motivations for, and consequences of, creating and sharing deepfake images.

To learn how to seek support regarding inappropriate deepfake images encountered online.

We will be able to:

describe what deepfake images are
assess the reasons why deepfake images might be created
explain the harms caused to individuals and wider social consequences of posting deepfake images
identify where, when and how to seek support if deepfake images are encountered online
explain why it is important to challenge attitudes and behaviours that can encourage deepfake images to be shared

Learning outcomes

Learning objective

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What’s our starting point?

What are deepfake images?
Why might people create and share them?
What possible harms might deepfakes cause?

“Deepfakes are just a �bit of fun - they aren't causing any harm.”

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What is a deepfake?

The term ‘deepfake’ refers to images, videos or audio clips that have been created or edited by generative AI to look and sound real.

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What is a deepfake?

The technology has been used to create images or videos of high-profile people doing or saying things they haven’t said or done, which can be for entertainment or satire.
However, deepfakes can be used to embarrass people or spread disinformation, misinformation and mistrust.
It has also been used to create nude images of people, sometimes of celebrities, but also everyday people. Doing this without people’s consent, is illegal.
Creating or sharing nude deepfake images of children under 18 is also illegal.

In a recent report surveying over 1,000 young people, 84% said apps designed to create nude AI images should be banned.

Teacher notes – Introduction (5mins, slides 11-13)

Explain that this technology has been used to create fake images or videos of high-profile people – often celebrities or politicians – doing or saying things they haven’t said or done. This is often for entertainment purposes (for fun or to make people laugh) or as a form of satire (for example, as political commentary). Deepfakes can be used to embarrass people, or create disinformation and spread misinformation and mistrust, particularly about world leaders or famous people.

Explain that this technology has also increasingly been used to create nude images of people, sometimes of celebrities, but also in everyday cases, and in most cases without the person’s consent. This is called non-consensual intimate image abuse and is illegal. The creation or sharing of AI-generated nude images of children under 18 is also illegal. In a recent report surveying over 1,000 young people, 84% felt that apps designed to create nude AI images should be banned. (www.internetmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Childrens-experiences-of-nude-depfakes-research.pdf)

Optional: You could show this BBC Newsround clip which gives a useful overview and examples of deepfake videos: www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/69009887.

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Why did each of the characters create the deepfake image?
Are there any similarities and differences in the characters’ motivations?
Is there ever an acceptable reason for creating or sharing a deepfake?

Bella

Case studies

Dipali

Chandhu

Archie

Teacher notes – Case studies (10mins)

Working in small groups, give students Resource 1: Case studies, which describe how some people have used deepfake technology, and why. Ask groups to discuss the questions on the slide.

Take feedback, highlighting key learning:

Reasons characters created the images include; for fun or entertainment (Archie), to bully someone (Bella), for revenge/because they were hurt (Chandu), to embarrass someone/get them in trouble (Dipali).
Although the characters had slightly different motivations, most (Bella, Chandu, Dipali) knew they were doing some harm to the person they made the deepfake of. None of the characters got the consent of the person they made the deepfake of, so all of them are responsible for violating that person’s trust and privacy.
Without their consent, it is not acceptable to make an untrue image of another person with the intention of causing harm. There might be some justifiable reasons for creating deepfake images more widely in society, for example, when they are consensual and not used to mock or embarrass another person. In these cases, however, even though the characters may have been experiencing strong emotions (Chandu) or thought they were just making the deepfake for fun (Archie), this is not a justifiable reason, and they don’t have the right to create and share deepfake images of someone without their knowledge. Chandhu specifically has broken the law by creating a non-consensual intimate image of someone; possessing or sharing a nude image of anyone under the age of 18, even if this is made by AI, is illegal and a form of abuse.

Support: Ask students to focus on comparing Archie and Chandu’s examples in their discussion, rather than all four characters.

Challenge: Ask students to think of any other reasons why someone might create a deepfake image, which hasn’t been mentioned in the characters’ stories.

(This might include a person wanting to improve their appearance using deepfake technology, or to experiment with how they look, or when making deepfakes of others, this technology might be used for political satire or commentary.)

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How did the deepfake image affect them?
What consequences did they experience?

Frida

Case studies: reversed

Hafsa

Gina

Ethan

Teacher notes – Case studies, reversed (10 mins)

Now give the groups Resource 2: Another perspective. This explores the same case studies from the other person’s perspective, i.e. the person who the deepfake image was of. Ask them to now discuss the questions on the slide.

Take feedback, highlighting the key learning:

The characters describe feeling shock, betrayal, sadness, a sense of confusion or powerlessness, humiliation and anger at finding out a deepfake had been made of them.
The characters experience a range of consequences including: being teased and bullied by others (Ethan, Frida), being afraid to post pictures of themselves or go online (Frida), their family being upset (Frida), damage to their reputation (Frida, Gina, Hafsa), feeling like they are not believed by their peers (Frida, Gina), wanting to avoid school (Gina), receiving hateful comments (Hafsa), losing followers and brand deals (Hafsa), exploring legal proceedings (Hafsa). Note that the nature of online content means a fake video or image can be shared very quickly to a lot of people, as happened to Hafsa.

Support: Ask students to focus on comparing Ethan and Gina’s examples in their discussion, rather than all four characters.

Challenge: Ask students to also consider any potentially negative consequences for the person who created or shared the image in each case.

(This could include getting in trouble at school or with family; legal consequences - especially for Chandu and Dipali; feeling guilt, shame or remorse. Archie might lose his friend; Chandu might struggle to get future partners to trust him if they know he created a deepfake of someone else.)

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Someone feeling embarrassed

Who is harmed?

Deepfakes can be used to blackmail people

Someone fearing a deepfake being made of them

Young people not knowing what is fake or real online

Someone’s reputation could be ruined by a deepfake

Lack of trust in friendships or relationships

More pressure to share nude images because people think it’s normal

Anyone could have a deepfake made and not know it

People become afraid to post pictures or speak out online

Teacher notes – Who is harmed

Show the range of harms caused by sharing deepfake images. Ask students to sort these into two groups: individual harms and social harms. They could also add their own ideas to either category, based on the case studies.

You might model this using the first two examples in the lefthand column; ‘feeling embarrassed’ could be considered an individual harm for the person whose deepfake image has been shared. Whereas young people not knowing what is fake or real online, is a problem for everyone in society.

Support: Give students Resource 3: Harms card sort so they can sort the harms in front of them, rather than referring to the slide.

Challenge: Ask students to create a third category and add any harms they can think of for the person creating and sharing the image.

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Individual

Social

Someone feeling embarrassed
Someone’s reputation could be ruined by a deepfake
Deepfakes can be used to blackmail people
Someone fearing a deepfake being made of them

Young people not knowing what is fake or real online
More pressure to share nude images because people think its normal
Lack of trust in friendships or relationships
People become afraid to post pictures or speak out online
Anyone could have a deepfake made and not know it

Teacher notes – Who is harmed (10mins, slides 16-17)

Take feedback, before clicking to show how these harms could be categorised.

Remind students they have been thinking about harms caused to the person the image was made of, as well as wider social harms. Ask any students who have completed the challenge to share their thoughts on harms caused to the person who created and shared the image, and take this opportunity to reinforce that it is illegal to share or threaten to share nude photos or videos of someone, including deepfakes, without their permission, and it is illegal to make, share and possess indecent photographs and videos, including deepfakes, of someone who is under 18. It does not matter if the person shown is real or it's a fake that has been digitally created or altered.

Next, ask pairs to pick one of the harms they have been considering and suggest what could be done to help reduce or remove this harm for people in the future.

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Support recommendations

How might the character feel in this moment?
How might they manage these emotions?
How might managing their emotions affect what they do next?

Teacher notes – Support recommendations (15mins, slides 12-13)

Organise the class into six groups and give each group a character from Resource 1: Character cards. For their character, ask them to discuss and write in their books responses to the questions on the slide.

Students might identify:

Feelings of shock, confusion, fear or worry, powerlessness, embarrassment or shame, regret, anger or outrage, hopelessness, isolation.
People can manage strong and uncomfortable emotions using regulation strategies, such as noticing and naming what the emotions are, pausing before they decide what to do next, taking slow breaths, trying techniques to calm themselves, or doing a sensory activity that distracts them from the emotion, like listening to music or drawing.
These strategies can help the person slow down and make a reasoned decision about what to do next, rather than acting impulsively on the emotion they are feeling in the moment. For example, they might be more likely to find positive solutions or seek help from a trusted friend or adult, rather than retaliating or posting a response online which could create more conflict.

Find out more about emotional regulation strategies here: www.pshe-association.org.uk/resource/classroom-posters

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Support recommendations

Now look at the support posters.

Which support service might be most helpful for your character?
Why do you think so?
How can your character access this support?

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Teacher notes – Support recommendations (15mins, slides 12-13)

Then ask them to move around the room looking at the posters from Resource 2: Support posters. (Alternatively, you could give sets of posters to each group.) Ask students:

Which support service might be the most helpful for their character and why?

Can they summarise how the character can access this support?

Take feedback from groups. Students are likely to identify:

Character 1 could speak to their friends, teacher or parents for advice on what to do next. If the deepfake was a sexual video, it is against the law for the video to have been created or shared with them, so they could report to CEOP on their friend’s behalf.
Character 2 has experienced a crime. They could choose to speak to Childline or Victim Support for advice now, and use the Report Remove or CEOP reporting tools if the image has been shared.
Character 3 could speak to their friend or get advice from a teacher or parent to help them apologise. They should also remove and delete the image they created.
Character 4 could speak to a teacher, such as their Head of Year, for help to get the video taken down.
Character 5 will likely access Victim Support for advice about next steps, because they are over 18. Childline counsellors and other services are available for people aged up to 19, so even though they are 18 they could still contact them. They might also get advice from parents or friends. They could report the image to any social media sites where it has been uploaded.
Character 6 could get advice from friends, family or teachers, but also might find some counselling helpful. They could speak to Childline about their ongoing concerns or speak to Victim Support about getting more help to feel safer and more in control online again.

Students should recognise the range of ways support can be accessed, including online reporting, speaking face-to-face, via phone, email, live chats or advice pages on the websites. Reinforce that no matter what issue young people are facing, there is always someone they can talk to, and sharing their concerns is often the first step to finding a solution. If someone has committed a crime against them or someone they know, such as creating a non-consensual intimate image, this should be reported through CEOP, with the help of Victim Support or a trusted adult who could support them to speak to the police.

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Talking heads

Read the unhelpful responses the characters had heard or were told by their peers.

Why are these responses unhelpful?
What impact might they have on the person encountering the deepfake?

Using deepfake apps is just a bit of fun, it doesn’t do any real harm if the videos are fake.

There’s nothing anyone can really do about it – it’s just a risk of being online these days.

She probably shouldn’t have posted so many pictures of herself. Then they wouldn’t have had stuff to make deepfakes from.

Teacher notes – Talking heads (10mins)

Now show these unhelpful responses the characters had heard or were told by their peers. Still in their groups, ask students to consider the questions on the slide.

Take feedback, highlighting the key learning:

These responses are disempowering, suggesting that there is nothing that can be done and this is something people must ‘put up with’, which is not the case. Creating and sharing deepfakes is a form of abuse and a violation of someone’s right to be online safely. Even if the image is fake, the harm it causes is real. It is illegal to create or share nude images of people under the age of 18, including deepfakes. These attitudes allow abusive online behaviours to continue and create an unsafe environment for everyone.
Hearing responses like this might make people targeted through this technology blame themselves (even though they never consented to the image being created or shared). It might lead to them accepting abusive or harmful behaviours or not reporting behaviours they see carried out against others. This makes the online environment a worse place for everyone.

Then, ask students to choose one attitude to respond to and explain in their books why this is a flawed or unhelpful response.

Support: Ask students to choose from the sentence starters in Resource 3: Sentence starters, to support them with their written response.

Challenge: Ask students to think about where these unhelpful attitudes might come from and reflect this in their response.

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Further support

If you have any worries about image sharing, or anything that happens online, you can talk to:

adults at home such as parents or carers
trusted adults at school such as teachers, classroom assistants, midday supervisors, �other staff
Childline www.childline.org.uk/kids/ �phone 08001111
CEOP Education website for 11-18-year-olds 11-18s | CEOP Education

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I need your help

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