Summary
Artificial intelligence (AI) is technology that allows computers to carry out tasks that usually require human-like skills, such as generating text, creating images, producing audio, recognising patterns and answering questions. AI is already used in many everyday tools, including search engines, navigation apps, chatbots, photo editing software and recommendation systems. It can be useful for learning, creativity, accessibility and problem-solving, but it is important to understand its limitations and know how to use it safely.
One use of AI that has attracted particular attention is the creation of deepfakes. Deepfakes are images, videos or audio recordings that have been generated or altered using AI to make it appear that someone said or did something they never actually said or did. For example, a video might show a celebrity endorsing a product they have never used, an audio recording might imitate a family member’s voice, or an image might place someone’s face into a situation that never happened. Some deepfakes are created for entertainment or creative projects, but others are used to mislead people, spread false information, commit fraud, bully or humiliate others, or create sexual images without consent.
AI-generated content can sometimes look and sound convincing, making it difficult to know whether something is genuine. At the same time, not everything that looks unusual or suspicious has been created by AI, and genuine photographs, recordings and videos can also be misleading when taken out of context. This means it is important to consider where content came from, whether it can be verified and what other reliable sources say, rather than relying only on how realistic it appears.
Using AI safely does not mean avoiding it altogether. It means thinking carefully about what you share, which tools you use, whether the information they provide is reliable and how your actions could affect other people. You can enjoy the creative and practical benefits of AI while protecting your privacy, respecting other people’s consent and recognising when content may have been manipulated. If you encounter a deepfake or AI-generated content that causes concern, there are practical steps you can take to check it, report harmful material and seek support.
How to help myself
Using AI safely
Before using an AI tool, think about what you want it to do and whether it is appropriate for that task. AI can be useful for brainstorming, explaining unfamiliar topics, generating creative ideas, summarising information or helping you organise your thoughts. However, it can also produce incorrect information, misunderstand what you mean or present made-up information confidently. Treat AI as a tool to assist your judgement rather than something that should make decisions for you.
Check important information using reliable sources, especially if it relates to health, mental health, finances, legal matters, education or safety. AI-generated answers can sound convincing even when they are inaccurate or out of date. If an answer includes statistics, research findings or claims about a person, look for confirmation from trustworthy sources.
Be particularly cautious if an AI tool recommends a treatment, gives advice about a serious problem or tells you to take an action that could have significant consequences.
Protect your personal information. Avoid sharing passwords, bank details, identity documents, private conversations, medical records or other sensitive information with AI tools unless you understand how the service handles that information and have a legitimate reason to share it. Be careful about uploading photographs, voice recordings or documents belonging to other people. Information you enter may be stored or processed according to the service’s settings and privacy policy, so check these before using a tool. If you are using AI for work or education, follow the relevant organisation’s rules about confidentiality and approved software.
Choose AI tools carefully. Use established services, check that you are on the genuine website or app, review privacy settings and be cautious about tools that request unnecessary permissions or payment details. Fake AI apps and websites may imitate legitimate services to collect personal information or money. Avoid downloading unfamiliar files or following suspicious links just because they claim to offer a new AI feature.
Think about how you use AI and how it affects you. It can be helpful to use AI to explore ideas or practise a skill, but it is important to maintain your own judgement and develop your abilities independently. Avoid relying on an AI chatbot as your only source of emotional support, particularly if you are experiencing significant distress. AI cannot replace the understanding, responsibility and professional judgement that a suitably qualified person can offer. If you are struggling, consider speaking to someone you trust or accessing appropriate professional support.
Recognising deepfakes
Deepfakes can be difficult to identify because AI can generate increasingly realistic images, videos and audio recordings. Rather than assuming you can always spot a fake by looking closely, focus on checking where the content came from and whether it can be independently verified.
Be cautious when content appears unexpectedly, particularly if it is designed to provoke a strong emotional reaction, make you angry or frightened, or encourage you to act quickly. A video might appear to show a public figure making a shocking announcement, an audio clip might sound like someone you know asking for money, or an image might show a person in an embarrassing or compromising situation. Ask yourself who shared it, whether the source is trustworthy and whether there is a clear reason to believe it is genuine.
Look for the original source. If a video or photograph is being shared widely, check whether it appears on the person’s verified account, an official website or a reputable news organisation. Look for independent reporting or confirmation rather than relying on several social media accounts that may all be repeating the same unverified claim. You can also use a reverse image search to look for earlier appearances of an image and see whether it has been taken from a different context. However, finding an original image does not necessarily prove that a later version has not been altered.
Notice whether the content lacks context. A genuine recording can be edited, shortened or presented alongside misleading information to give a false impression. A real photograph can be paired with an invented story, and a genuine voice recording can be manipulated or taken out of context. It is therefore important to check not only whether the image or recording is real, but also whether the claim being made about it is accurate.
Be aware that apparent visual or audio errors are not reliable proof of a deepfake. Unnatural facial movements, strange hands, unusual lighting, inconsistent lip movements or robotic speech may raise questions, but AI-generated content can also look convincing, while genuine recordings can contain similar imperfections. Equally, an AI label or watermark may provide useful information, but its absence does not prove that content is genuine. Some labels and watermarks can be removed or lost when content is edited or shared.
If you cannot verify something, avoid immediately sharing it as fact. You can wait for more information, ask for a reliable source or simply choose not to pass it on. It is perfectly reasonable to say that you are unsure whether something is genuine. You do not have to prove that content is fake before deciding not to share it.
Protecting yourself from AI-powered scams
AI can be used to make scams more convincing by producing realistic messages, imitating voices, creating fake profiles or generating images and videos that appear to show a real person or organisation. Scammers may use publicly available information about you or people you know to make their requests seem believable.
Be especially cautious if someone contacts you unexpectedly and asks for money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, passwords, verification codes or sensitive personal information. They may claim to be a relative in an emergency, a manager requesting an urgent payment, a bank investigating suspicious activity or a professional offering an investment opportunity. Even if the message sounds like someone you know or appears to come from a familiar account, do not assume it is genuine.
If you receive an unexpected request for money or confidential information, verify it using a separate, trusted method. For example, call the person on a number you already have rather than the number provided in the message. If someone claims to be from a bank or organisation, use its official contact details rather than clicking a link or calling a number in the message. You could also ask a question that only the genuine person would be likely to know, although this should not be your only check because personal information can sometimes be obtained or guessed.
Be wary of pressure and urgency. Scammers often insist that you must act immediately, keep the conversation secret or avoid checking with anyone else. Take a moment to pause, speak to someone you trust and check the request before doing anything. Genuine requests should withstand reasonable verification. If you have already shared information or sent money, contact your bank or relevant service as soon as possible and report the incident.
Using AI respectfully and responsibly
AI can generate content involving real people, including images, voices and videos. Before creating or sharing content that uses another person’s likeness, voice or personal information, consider their privacy, consent and how the material could affect them. Something that seems funny to you might feel humiliating, frightening or threatening to the person depicted, particularly if other people believe it is genuine.
Do not use AI to create or distribute sexual images of someone without their consent, impersonate someone to deceive others, threaten or harass people, or spread fabricated material intended to damage someone’s reputation. Never assume that creating or sharing harmful AI-generated content is harmless simply because it is not a genuine photograph or recording. AI-generated sexual images involving children are particularly serious and may constitute illegal material. Do not create, request, download or share them.
If you create AI-generated content for a project, presentation or social media post, make it clear when it could reasonably be mistaken for genuine material. Avoid presenting invented quotes, events or images as evidence that something actually happened. If you use AI to help produce schoolwork, professional work or creative content, follow the relevant rules about disclosure, originality and permitted use.
Remember that there is a real person behind many of the images, voices and identities used online. Treat other people’s digital identities with the same respect you would expect them to show yours.
How to help a loved one
If someone you care about is using AI tools, you can help them think about online safety without making them feel foolish or suggesting that they should avoid technology altogether. Ask what they use AI for and whether they know how the service handles their information. You could discuss the importance of checking information, protecting private details and being cautious about unfamiliar apps or websites.
If someone shares a video, image or voice recording that you suspect may be fake, try to approach the conversation calmly. Explain what makes you uncertain and suggest checking the original source together. Avoid immediately ridiculing them for believing something that looked convincing. Deepfakes can be difficult to identify, and anyone can be misled by convincing content. If you cannot establish whether it is genuine, agree to wait for reliable information rather than arguing over something neither of you can verify.
If someone you care about has been targeted by a deepfake, impersonation or AI-powered scam, take their concerns seriously. They may feel embarrassed, frightened, angry or ashamed, particularly if they have lost money or believe an intimate image has been shared. Reassure them that being deceived does not mean they are unintelligent or at fault for someone else’s harmful behaviour. Help them consider practical next steps, such as reporting the content, securing their accounts, contacting their bank or seeking specialist advice.
If someone has had an image or video created or shared without their consent, avoid forwarding it, downloading it or asking them to show it to you unnecessarily. Sharing the content further can increase the harm and make it harder for the person to regain control. Offer to help them report it and find support, while allowing them to decide what they feel comfortable sharing with you. If the person affected is a child or young person, help them access appropriate adult support and safeguarding assistance.
If you are supporting a child or young person who encounters deepfakes or AI-generated content, encourage open conversations about what they see online. Help them understand that realistic-looking content is not always genuine and that they can question or check something before believing it. Make it clear that they can come to you if they see something upsetting, are pressured to create or share images, or are worried that someone is impersonating them. Avoid blaming them if they have already shared something or been deceived; focus on keeping them safe and working out what to do next.
Myth Buster
Myth: If a video or voice recording looks and sounds real, it must be genuine
Truth: AI can create convincing videos, images and audio recordings. Check the original source and look for independent confirmation rather than relying on how realistic something appears
Myth: Deepfakes always have obvious mistakes
Truth: Some deepfakes contain visible or audible errors, but others can be very convincing. Genuine content can also look unusual, so there is no single visual clue that reliably identifies every fake
Myth: AI always gives accurate information
Truth: AI tools can produce incorrect, outdated or invented information and present it confidently. Check important claims against reliable sources, particularly when decisions could affect your health, finances or safety
Myth: If a photograph or video has no AI label, it must be real
Truth: AI labels and watermarks can be useful, but they are not always present and may be removed during editing or sharing. The absence of a label does not prove that content is genuine
Myth: Only celebrities and public figures are targeted by deepfakes
Truth: Ordinary people can also be impersonated or depicted in harmful AI-generated content, including scams, harassment and sexual imagery shared without consent
Myth: It is harmless to share a fake image if it is only a joke
Truth: Even content intended as a joke can cause distress, damage someone’s reputation or lead others to believe something untrue. Consider consent, privacy and potential consequences before creating or sharing it
Myth: I will always know if someone is trying to scam me using AI
Truth: AI can make scams more personalised and convincing. Verify unexpected requests for money or sensitive information using a separate, trusted contact method
Myth: If I have already been tricked by a deepfake or AI scam, there is nothing I can do
Truth: You can still take steps to limit further harm, such as reporting the content, securing your accounts, contacting your bank and seeking advice. You do not need to deal with the situation alone
Support
If you encounter a suspicious image, video, message or account, avoid sharing it further while you check whether it is genuine. You can report harmful content directly to the platform where you found it. If an account is impersonating you, review your account security, change compromised passwords and enable two-factor authentication where possible.
If you believe you have been targeted by a scam, contact your bank immediately if you have sent money or shared financial information. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, you can report suspected fraud to Report Fraud. In Scotland, contact Police Scotland. If you believe a crime has occurred or someone is at immediate risk, contact the police as appropriate.
If an intimate image of you has been created or shared without your consent, you do not need to handle it alone. You can report it to the platform and seek support from specialist services. If the content involves a child or young person, do not download or forward it; seek advice from an appropriate safeguarding service or the police.
Helplines
Report Remove
Report Remove is a free service from Childline and the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) that helps under-18s report and remove nude or sexual images and videos of themselves that have been shared online, including AI-generated images.
Phone: 0800 1111 (Childline)
Opening times: Childline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Website: www.childline.org.uk/report-remove
CEOP
CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection) is a service from the National Crime Agency that helps protect children and young people from sexual abuse and exploitation online. They provide information and advice about online sexual abuse, grooming, sexual exploitation and staying safe online.
Website: www.ceop.police.uk
Report: Online reporting form available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Childline
Childline is a free service for young people to talk to a counsellor about anything. The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Childline is available to anybody who is 18 years old or younger.
Phone: 0800 1111
Opening times: Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
You can also find helpful resources, speak to a counsellor online or send a message on their site.
Website: www.childline.org.uk
For adults concerned about a child, the NSPCC can be contacted
NSPCC
NSPCC is a children’s charity that works to protect children and prevent abuse and neglect. They provide support and advice for adults about child abuse, neglect, child safety, online safety and children’s mental and emotional wellbeing.
Phone: 0808 800 5000
Opening times: 10 am–4 pm, Monday–Friday
Email: help@nspcc.org.uk
Email opening times: 11 am–4 pm, 7 days a week
Website: www.nspcc.org.uk
YoungMinds
YoungMinds is a national charity supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. They provide information, advice and support for parents and carers who are concerned about a young person’s mental health, and help people understand mental health difficulties, find appropriate support and access useful resources. Their Parents Helpline can provide information, advice, emotional support and signposting to other services.
Parent helpline: 0808 802 5544 (9:30 am – 4 pm on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, and from 9:30 am – 6 pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays)
Email: parents@youngminds.org.uk
Webchat: https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-helpline/
Shout
Shout is a free, confidential text messaging service that provides support to anyone who is struggling to cope. It can help with a wide range of issues, including stress, anxiety, low mood, loneliness, relationship difficulties, bullying, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, feeling overwhelmed and other mental health challenges.
Text: SHOUT to 85258
Opening times: Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
Website: www.giveusashout.org
Mind
Mind is a mental health charity providing information, advice and support for people experiencing mental health difficulties. They cover a wide range of mental health and wellbeing issues, including anxiety, depression, stress, relationships, loneliness, coping with difficult experiences and managing everyday life. Mind provides information to help people understand what they are experiencing, know their rights, find appropriate support and feel less alone.
Phone: 0300 123 3393
Opening times: 9am–6pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays)
Email: info@mind.org.uk
Website: www.mind.org.uk
Samaritans
Samaritans is a charity providing emotional support to anyone who is struggling to cope or needs someone to talk to. They are there for people experiencing all sorts of difficulties, including stress, anxiety, loneliness, relationship or family problems, bereavement, feeling overwhelmed and concerns about mental health or suicide.
Phone: 116 123
Opening times: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
Website: www.samaritans.org
