AI deepfakes are circulating in our schools. What's the right way to handle them?

AI portrayed as endangering young people, especially girls

The article frames AI deepfakes as a direct threat to student safety, particularly female students, using alarming language and statistics to emphasise danger.

"A Tasman在玩家中 school has been criticised by parents over its response to a deepfake incident targeting 21 female students."

Framing deepfakes as a societal crisis affecting children

The article uses crisis language and cites a 550% increase to position deepfakes as an urgent, destabilising threat to youth.

"It's a crisis, according to the eSafety commissioner."

Emphasis on psychological harm to victims of deepfakes

The article repeatedly highlights emotional trauma — shame, fear, humiliation — positioning mental health as under severe threat.

"Know that your child may be feeling shame, humiliation, self-blame, fear that they won't be believed, isolation and mistrust."

Implied complicity of tech platforms in enabling harmful AI use

The article highlights how easily accessible and low-cost deepfake apps are, suggesting a failure of tech companies to prevent abuse.

"Unfortunately, the apps that create this kind of material are easy to use, often at low or no cost."

Victims framed as marginalised and unsupported by institutions

The framing focuses on students feeling silenced and unsupported, implying systemic failure to protect vulnerable individuals.

"They chose to tell them, but said their children felt silenced and unsupported, not knowing whether their peers had been told or not."