What’s true and what’s not is hard to tell these days, thanks to the digital age. Electronic gadgets, a few harmless pictures, and the limitless power of artificial intelligence (AI) are all it takes to disrupt many peaceful lives. These days “deep fake” has become an increasingly popular method for people to harm and manipulate their victims. Teenagers and children especially are the soft targets of deepfake. AI technologies like these can put their mental health at serious risk. According to a recent study that looked at deep fake content, almost all online deepfake movies contain adult content. India is ranked as the sixth most exposed country in the distribution of DeepFake executive content.
It seems that celebrities are not the only victims impacted by this technology. It gets back into children’s lives and threatens their personal lives and mental health. Despite the violent and negative culture that is propagated through the use of AI, it is extremely important to recognize how this technology works, particularly its impact on the mental health of students. Also, citizens should work to protect the health and safety of the next generation by increasing awareness and teaching information literacy.
Alka Kapoor, principal of Modern Public Schools, Shalimar Bagh and student counsellor: “For students, social media is not just a means of communication; it is a virtual playground for forming their identity, making friends and boosting their self-esteem.”
As more deeper scandals hit social media, the consequences for students’ mental health are becoming more vulnerable. The digitalization of entertainment that was once thought to be safe is now a major threat to all lives. The pressure to conform to digitally altered standards of beauty and behaviour, coupled with the fear of becoming victims of malicious deepfake manipulation, creates a toxic environment for students. The fear of becoming the next target leaves a person in a perpetual state of anxiety, eroding their trust in the digital realm and exacerbating the already challenging journey through adolescence. Think about what would happen if the teenager saw a scary movie of herself about things she has never imagined before. The prospect of losing one’s reputation, and the subsequent experience of social withdrawal, can be devastating.
Tips to avoid the AI scandal trap
As the prevalence of deep fake scandals escalates, proactive measures must be implemented to mitigate the impact on students’ mental health. Public awareness and media literacy appear as the first line of defence. Educating students on the availability of highly counterfeit technologies, their potential consequences, and methods to identify inventions can enable students to safely navigate their digital landscape.
Additionally, there is a need to teach AI ethics to young minds from future users of AI tools. A deep understanding of the moral issues that arise in artificial intelligence encourages the use of responsible technology, which lowers the risk of falling into dangerously deep water by mistake. It’s also important to stress that kids have faith in themselves. There’s no need to freak out about technologies that trick people, like deep lies.
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Such situations must be handled with confidence, and equipped with the knowledge to recognize and deal with potential threats. Additionally, the onus is on IT departments and social media platforms to develop and deploy advanced techniques for early detection and removal of deep identity content Collaborative efforts of these institutions, education and the law enforcement agency network are necessary to build strong defenses against the insidious effects of deepfake technologies.
