Deepfake technology—AI capable of creating hyper-realistic synthetic videos, images, and audio—has seen explosive growth. One of its darker applications, deepfake nudes, has caused a wave of concern in high schools, posing complex challenges for parents and educators. Alarmingly, teens are often the perpetrators, sharing manipulated images of their classmates.

Parents need to understand the complexities of deepfake nudes to help protect their teens in today’s digital world. Deepfake nudes involve AI technology used to create hyper-realistic manipulated images, often as a form of bullying or harassment among teens. Here’s what parents need to know to keep their children safe.

The easy accessibility of deepfake tools means anyone with minimal technical skill can transform any person’s photo into a hyper-realistic, compromising, explicit image. This misuse typically begins as a prank among teens, whose still-developing brains struggle with self-regulation and often succumb to peer pressure. However, deepfake nudes are no laughing matter; they represent a serious form of sexual harassment with significant psychological effects on victims, so it’s crucial for parents to understand that teens need education. Group dynamics and peer pressure can drive teens to make choices without fully considering the consequences.

Creating deepfakes requires no specialized knowledge. With a smartphone and the right app, anyone can generate and share manipulated content, including nude images, within minutes. While many........

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