EE partners with Essex Police to help families tackle risks of deepfakes
New campaign offers tools to navigate manipulated media safely
EE has partnered with Essex Police to launch the "Fake or Real? Know the Deal" campaign, designed to support families in understanding and managing the risks associated with deepfake technology.
Deepfake technology uses artificial intelligence to manipulate videos or audio, creating content that can appear authentic but is completely fabricated. While this technology has positive applications, such as breaking down language barriers or sparking creativity, it also presents challenges like spreading misinformation, enabling online harassment, and creating explicit fake images.
The campaign aims to empower families by providing expert advice, practical tools, and resources such as the "Report Remove" service to navigate the digital world safely.
What are deepfakes and why do they matter?
Deepfakes are created using advanced AI algorithms, making it possible to alter or create audiovisual content that looks and sounds real. This technology can be used for harmless entertainment, but it increasingly poses significant risks.
Deepfakes can lead to reputational harm, cyberbullying, online abuse, and even criminal activity like "nudification," where fake explicit images are created. Such acts can be profoundly distressing, especially for families who discover manipulated images of their children circulating online.
How to protect your family from deepfakes
To start, it is important to have open conversations with your child about online safety, including discussing what deepfakes are, their potential impacts, and why it is critical to identify manipulated content. Setting boundaries is equally crucial; make use of parental controls on devices, broadband, and mobile networks to limit access to harmful content and encourage healthy device use.
Parents should teach children the importance of verifying the authenticity of information, such as cross-referencing reliable sources before believing or sharing content, and help them develop media literacy by learning to notice signs of a deepfake, such as unnatural movements, mismatched audio, or odd lighting and shadows.
Promoting positive digital citizenship is vital. Encourage children not to create or share altered content, even if meant as a joke, and foster a sense of respect and kindness in online interactions. Protecting privacy is another key measure; teaching children to limit the sharing of personal information and images can reduce their risk of being targeted.
It is also important to note that sharing sexual content involving anyone under the age of 18 is against the law. If an incident occurs, parents should report it to the police or use resources like the "Report Remove" service.
How "Report Remove" can help
The "Report Remove" service is a safe, secure, and free tool run by the NSPCC and Internet Watch Foundation. It allows children and young people to take back control by helping to remove sexual images or videos of themselves from the internet. This service acts quickly to provide vital support and ensures those affected feel empowered in reclaiming their privacy and confidence.
Through this partnership, EE and Essex Police aim to create a safer digital space and equip families with the tools and knowledge to handle the emerging risks of deepfake technology with confidence.