Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the world as we know it. The impact of AI is expanding exponentially, and responding to all the implications of its reach is nearly impossible. Basically, AI is affecting … well … pretty much everything. So it is imperative for parents to stay informed and participate in the conversations surrounding digital safety in this AI-fueled world.
Let’s look at one of the fastest-growing areas of AI – image generation. With each passing day, the ability to artificially create hyperrealistic photos using AI grows, and the usual clues that an image is created by AI (misshapen or distorted hands are a common giveaway) are less and less noticeable. It was not that long ago that a quick perusal of an image would offer obvious clues to indicate whether it was authentic or created by AI. Now, without close scrutiny and knowing exactly what to look for, it is getting more difficult to discern whether an image is real or AI-generated. The line between real and fake images gets a little more blurry every day. Then when viewed on fast-scrolling social media feeds, the suggestive power of AI-generated images is enormous.
With the proliferation of AI, the path to digital exploitation has become much wider. Anyone can be victimized. If you have any presence online – even a single image – you could be at risk of exploitation. And logically, the more images you share publicly, the more that risk grows.
What dangers are posed by a world where Artificial Intelligence is increasingly present? Just ask ai.
Just ask the girls in Almendralejo, a town in southwest Spain. In 2023, a group of male minors took images of over 30 young teen girls shared on their social media profiles, used an AI app to create fake nude images of them, and then used those fake images to extort the girls for real nude images or money. When their families went to local police, they found there wasn’t much they could do other than share their stories in hopes of preventing more from being extorted.
Unfortunately (but not surprisingly), technology is way ahead of legislation when it comes to addressing the legal ramifications of deepfake images. In June of 2023, the FBI issued a warning about the increase in reports of online images being altered into explicit content and used in sextortion schemes. They urged caution in what you share online. “Advancements in content creation technology and accessible personal images online present new opportunities for malicious actors to find and target victims.” However, without any federal law in place, there isn’t anything the FBI can do other than try to raise awareness of the issue.
The Washington Post reports that since 2018, there’s been a massive increase in the creation of non-consensual, AI-generated explicit images, with the incident of fake nudes growing by more than 290 percent. Also unsurprisingly, it is primarily women who are targeted and victimized by users of nudify apps.
Currently, there is no federal law in the US addressing the many emerging questions surrounding the creation and distribution of AI-generated images. While there was one bill introduced to Congress in 2022 to address deepfake pornography, it is entirely left to individual states to navigate the complex legal landscape of this fast-growing trend. As of today, only a handful of states have any sort of regulations in place.
While governments around the world wrestle with how to best address this issue, it is up to parents to equip their kids to protect themselves from being digitally exploited.
As a leading anti-trafficking organization, The Exodus Road has witnessed a growing number of trafficking cases originating in the online space. In fact, in 2023, 61% of the cases worked by our teams included evidence gathered from social media platforms. We know how important it is to teach teens and their parents how to safely navigate the digital world. That’s why we created Influenced, our digital safety workshop. Through it, we teach teens and parents how to recognize the dangers in the digital world, what to do when something happens, and the steps they can take to protect themselves.
While AI has made it nearly impossible to know for sure that your digital image will never be used to create explicit content, there are some practical things you can do to stay aware of how your child is interacting online and whether they might be a potential target for exploitation.
Talk with your kids about AI and how it can be used for harm.
Specifically talk about where and how often they are sharing images of themselves online. Help them understand the risk and how it increases with every photo shared. One way to prevent the creation of fake AI-generated images is to limit the number of images you are posting online to begin with.
If your teen has a social media account, make sure it is set to private.
This will limit the visibility of images they share to their network instead of being accessible to the public. You can also enable the setting so that friend requests have to be approved and then only approve friend requests from people you know in real life. One way perpetrators find potential targets is through unsolicited “friend” requests.
Check screen time regularly.
Many phones have built-in features that monitor screen time, and this is a great way for you (and your teen) to pay attention to the hours they are spending online. It’s a helpful way for you to see trends and what times of day your kids are getting online. Pay attention to your screen time, too!
Always use a VPN.
A VPN, or a virtual private network, is a service that encrypts your internet traffic and protects your online identity. This is a simple way to ensure your child’s privacy and location are secure. You can easily download an app to do this on all devices. There are many companies to choose from including ExpressVPN, Surfshark, ProtonVPN or PIA.
Watch your phone, app, or cable bill.
Look for anomalies or unexpected fluctuations. Be sure you are noticing any charges that you didn’t authorize. Oftentimes, kids don’t understand there’s a record of their purchases that you can see as the owner of the account.
Normalize password transparency.
Communicate with your child that you need to be able to access their devices and phones at all times. Always communicate with your teen when you are accessing their accounts or devices.
In addition, there are also some settings you can adjust on your device that will help protect your teen.
Turn on location sharing.
This allows you to know the location of your teen. Not only does this allow you peace of mind to know your child is where they say they’ll be, but it also alerts you if something is off.
Set up downtime or bedtime restrictions.
This boundary encourages a healthy technology break. This is actually a good practice for all of us, regardless of age.
Use family sharing services.
This allows your accounts and devices to be linked. You have access to your child’s digital world, and they have access to yours.
Create a content approval process for app downloads.
Consider questions like age rating, whether there are in-app purchases, whether location sharing is automatically enabled, chat and disappearing message features and online reviews.
Understand Content and Privacy Settings
Set content settings according to age, and try to turn off access to photos, microphones, and other data via bluetooth.
Google “Parental Controls” for the type of phone your teen has.
Spend some time understanding your options as a parent and set up your child’s phone accordingly.
Parents, it’s tough out there. Parenting well in this digital world is complex. The learning curve for you as digital immigrants is steep as you try to learn a whole new language while at the same time, teaching your children how to safely navigate the dangers of the rapidly changing digital world.
Add artificial intelligence to the mix, and things get infinitely more complicated.
We want you to feel confident in your understanding of the issue and your ability to protect yourself and your kids from digital exploitation. Because preventing exploitation before it starts is the best way to fight it.
Ready to take the next step in protecting your family from online exploitation?
Influenced Parent Academy is our online course created specifically to equip guardians with a deeper understanding of the dangers that exist in the digital world and the simple actions steps that can help prevent exploitation in your child’s life.
Influenced Parent Academy will soon be available as an online course you can participate in anytime, anywhere. Complete the form below to be notified as soon as it launches!
