Fighting Artificial Intelligence (AI) with Parental Intelligence
Protecting Your Children from Deepfakes and Other AI-Generated Pornography
In this article, Marilyn Hawes of Freedom From Abuse examines the effect that AI is having on younger people.
AI Today
In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has brought forth countless innovations and possibilities from medical research to self-driving cars. However, like any tool, AI can be misused, and its darker side poses significant risks to children. One such threat is the emergence of AI-generated pornography.
We should explore the dangers of two types of AI-generated pornography — deepfakes and pornography created by AI image generators — and shed light on the critical need for effective parental control solutions to safeguard children.
Deepfakes: Distorting Reality
Deepfakes are computer-generated images and other media that manipulate or replace an individual’s face and voice within existing video or audio content. (The term combines “deep learning,” which refers to computers trying to mimic the human brain, with “fake”).
By utilising AI algorithms, deepfakes can seamlessly superimpose someone’s likeness onto another person’s body, creating highly convincing but fabricated videos.
There are many free and fee-paying online programs that allow anyone to upload existing photos and videos and create deepfakes that appear to show an actual person engaged in an activity that they did not do.
The dangers associated with deepfake images are alarming, especially since many deepfakes are pornographic.
Predators can exploit this technology to target anyone, including children, by using publicly available images or videos, or their own phone camera, to create explicit videos that falsely depict individuals engaging in sexual acts that never occurred.
Once circulated on the internet, these malicious deepfakes can cause irreparable harm to a person’s reputation, privacy, and mental well-being.
AI Image Generators: Fuelling the Spread
AI image generators employ machine learning algorithms — complex computer programs — to generate highly realistic images that appear to be photos or videos of actual people.
These programs ‘crawl’ the web, looking for existing images to ‘learn’ how to create seemingly real photos and videos. These AI-generated images blur the line between reality and fiction, making it increasingly challenging to differentiate between genuine and fabricated content.
The proliferation of both types of AI-generated pornographic images raises grave concerns. Children may be exposed to explicit and inappropriate content without their knowledge, consent, or the awareness of their guardians.
Young people who view pornographic images are more likely to misunderstand or ignore consent and subscribe to “rape myths,” and to engage in violent sexual behaviours towards their partners.
The rapid spread of both AI technology and AI-created pornographic images makes it even more likely that children will be exposed to inappropriate content. Protecting minors from the far-reaching effects of AI-generated pornography becomes an urgent priority.
AI-Generated CSAM: A Growing Threat
In addition to the psychological and emotional impact on children from exposure to porn, another grave concern surrounding AI-generated pornography is the potential incorporation of children’s own images into deepfakes and AI-generated explicit content.
The misuse of children’s images in AI-generated pornography not only violates their privacy but also exposes children to severe harm.
Children who accidentally or intentionally come across explicit content created by AI (and who are incorporated into such content) face severe psychological consequences.
Exposure to pornography by young people can lead to various detrimental effects, including increased aggression, desensitisation to violence, objectification of others, depression, anxiety, sexist views of gender roles, and decreased self-esteem.
The combination of explicit content and AI-generated realism amplifies these risks, making it crucial for parents and guardians to shield their children from the harms of AI-generated pornography.
Parents need to access apps that filter AI technology to detect fame images. Also, crucially engage in monitoring and continuing conversations with children about the ever-growing threats.
Electronic devices are not toys, the internet was never created as a platform for young people on which to engage. It will NEVER BE SAFE.