What Is a Deepfake? A Parent's Guide
From the perspective of a computer science educator with over 25 years of IT experience.
What Is a Deepfake?
A deepfake is a photo, video, or audio recording that has been faked using artificial intelligence. AI can swap one person's face for another, generate a realistic voice, or create a video of an event that never happened.
The name comes from deep learning + fake.
Why Does This Concern Your Child?
In 2026, children can within seconds:
- Swap a classmate's face in a TikTok video
- Generate someone's voice saying something they never said
- Create a fake photo and send it to a group chat
This isn't science fiction — it's happening now, in schools.
Real Threats:
1. AI-Powered Cyberbullying A child creates a deepfake of a classmate in a compromising situation and shares it across groups. The victim doesn't know where it came from because the situation never happened.
2. Disinformation A child sees a "video" of a celebrity or teacher saying something shocking. They believe it because it looks real. They share it further.
3. Nude Deepfakes The Internet Matters report (2025) shows that children aged 11-13 are increasingly encountering nude deepfakes of peers. This is a form of sexual violence.
4. Voice Scams AI calls with a parent's voice: "Son, send me the code from SMS." The child doesn't recognize it's not a real voice.
How to Spot a Deepfake?
Teach your child to look for these signs:
Video:
- Strange eye movements — unnatural blinks or no blinking
- Inconsistent lighting — face lit differently than background
- Blurry face edges — especially around hair and ears
- Unnatural lip movement — desynchronization with audio
- Odd ears — AI often struggles with ears (yes, really!)
Audio:
- Metallic voice — slightly robotic tone
- No pauses — humans make natural breaks, AI speaks smoothly
- Lack of emotion — voice is "too perfect"
Photos:
- Too perfect — no pores, wrinkles, skin imperfections
- Distorted background — letters, signs, backgrounds appear "smeared"
- Hands — AI still struggles with realistic hands (finger count, positions)
How to Talk to Your Child About Deepfakes?
Ages 6-9:
"Not everything you see on the internet is real. There are programs that can change someone's face or voice. Always ask us if something worries you."
Ages 10-13:
"There's technology that can create fake videos. They look real, but it's artificial intelligence. Before you believe or share — check the source."
Ages 14-18:
"Deepfakes are real tools — for disinformation, cyberbullying, and scams. Creating a deepfake with someone's face without consent can be a crime. Learn to recognize them."
5 Rules for the Family
- Verify before sharing — "Where is this video from? Who recorded it? Do other sources confirm it?"
- Second channel rule — if someone calls with "mom's voice" with an unusual request, call back on the normal number
- Don't create deepfakes of peers — it's not a "joke," it can be a crime
- Talk about AI — children should understand HOW it works so they're not defenseless
- Use educational tools — "true or false" quizzes, recognition exercises
What We're Planning at MichalKids
Coming Soon
At MichalKids Academy, we're preparing a "Deepfake and Disinformation" learning path with modules:
- True or False? (ages 6-9) — picture game
- Deepfake Detective (ages 10-13) — mini detective game
- OSINT Basics (ages 14-18) — reverse image search, metadata, verification
- Deepfake Detective Certificate — after completing the path
We teach children to recognize threats independently — instead of blocking their internet.
Guardian, not a spy. We don't protect children FROM the internet — we teach them HOW to use it.
Sources:
- Internet Matters — children's experiences with nude deepfakes
- Strefa Edukacji — deepfake in the curriculum
- Beniamin — digital threats for children 2026
- UODO — webinar on deepfakes and child safety
- Bitdefender — how to talk to children about AI and deepfakes