Fake Videos Made by AI (Deepfakes)

AI can make videos of people saying things they never said — and that can fool people.

5 min · Reviewed 2026

The big idea

Some AI tools can put a person's face on a video and make it look like they said something they didn't. These are called deepfakes, and they can trick people into believing fake stuff.

Some examples

A deepfake might show a famous person saying something silly they never said.
Some news stories online use deepfake clips to fool readers.
Look for jerky movements or weird shadows — those are clues a video is fake.
Always check more than one source before believing a wild video.

Try it!

Next time you see a surprising video online, ask a grown-up: could this be a deepfake? Search the news to see if it really happened.

Practice this safely

Try this with a low-stakes example and a trusted adult nearby. The goal is to notice how AI talks about deepfakes, not to let it make the decision for you.

Ask AI to explain deepfakes in plain language, then underline anything that sounds uncertain or too broad.
Give it one detail from "Fake Videos Made by AI (Deepfakes)" and ask for two possible next steps plus one reason each step might be wrong.
Check misinformation against a trusted source, teacher, adult, expert, or original document before you use it.

End-of-lesson check

8 questions · take it digitally for instant feedback at tendril.neural-forge.io/learn/quiz/end-explorers-ethics-AI-deepfakes-explained

What is the main idea of "Fake Videos Made by AI (Deepfakes)"?
1. AI can make videos of people saying things they never said — and that can fool people.
2. Use AI as the final authority for the whole decision
3. Avoid checking the answer once it sounds polished
4. Focus only on speed instead of judgment
Which concept is most central to "Fake Videos Made by AI (Deepfakes)"?
1. misinformation
2. deepfakes
3. media literacy
4. unrelated shortcut
Which use of AI fits this topic best?
1. Let the AI decide what matters without your review
2. Use the answer before checking whether it fits the situation
3. A deepfake might show a famous person saying something silly they never said.
4. Trust the first answer because it sounds confident
What should a careful learner remember about "The rule"?
1. Not every video you see online is real — some are AI-made.
2. Skip the context so the tool can guess faster
3. Treat the output as private even after sharing it online
4. Use the answer without checking the source
You want to use AI after this lesson. What is the safest next step?
1. Act immediately because the AI answer is written clearly
2. AI cannot make the human values decision for you.
3. Hide uncertainty so the final answer looks cleaner
4. Use private or sensitive details before checking permission
How should AI output about deepfakes be treated?
1. As proof that no other source is needed
2. As a replacement for context, consent, or expert review
3. As a draft or helper output that still needs human judgment and verification
4. As something that becomes correct when it sounds confident
Name one way to verify an AI answer about deepfakes.
Which action would help you apply "Fake Videos Made by AI (Deepfakes)" responsibly?
1. Use the tool to avoid thinking through the tradeoff
2. Keep going even if the output conflicts with a trusted source
3. Trust the first answer because it sounds confident
4. Some news stories online use deepfake clips to fool readers.

← Back to interactive lesson

Tendril · Explorers · Ethics & Society

Fake Videos Made by AI (Deepfakes)

AI can make videos of people saying things they never said — and that can fool people.

5 min · Reviewed 2026

The big idea

Some AI tools can put a person's face on a video and make it look like they said something they didn't. These are called deepfakes, and they can trick people into believing fake stuff.

Some examples

A deepfake might show a famous person saying something silly they never said.
Some news stories online use deepfake clips to fool readers.
Look for jerky movements or weird shadows — those are clues a video is fake.
Always check more than one source before believing a wild video.

Try it!

Next time you see a surprising video online, ask a grown-up: could this be a deepfake? Search the news to see if it really happened.

Practice this safely

Try this with a low-stakes example and a trusted adult nearby. The goal is to notice how AI talks about deepfakes, not to let it make the decision for you.

Ask AI to explain deepfakes in plain language, then underline anything that sounds uncertain or too broad.
Give it one detail from "Fake Videos Made by AI (Deepfakes)" and ask for two possible next steps plus one reason each step might be wrong.
Check misinformation against a trusted source, teacher, adult, expert, or original document before you use it.

End-of-lesson check

8 questions · take it digitally for instant feedback at tendril.neural-forge.io/learn/quiz/end-explorers-ethics-AI-deepfakes-explained

What is the main idea of "Fake Videos Made by AI (Deepfakes)"?
1. AI can make videos of people saying things they never said — and that can fool people.
2. Use AI as the final authority for the whole decision
3. Avoid checking the answer once it sounds polished
4. Focus only on speed instead of judgment
Which concept is most central to "Fake Videos Made by AI (Deepfakes)"?
1. misinformation
2. deepfakes
3. media literacy
4. unrelated shortcut
Which use of AI fits this topic best?
1. Let the AI decide what matters without your review
2. Use the answer before checking whether it fits the situation
3. A deepfake might show a famous person saying something silly they never said.
4. Trust the first answer because it sounds confident
What should a careful learner remember about "The rule"?
1. Not every video you see online is real — some are AI-made.
2. Skip the context so the tool can guess faster
3. Treat the output as private even after sharing it online
4. Use the answer without checking the source
You want to use AI after this lesson. What is the safest next step?
1. Act immediately because the AI answer is written clearly
2. AI cannot make the human values decision for you.
3. Hide uncertainty so the final answer looks cleaner
4. Use private or sensitive details before checking permission
How should AI output about deepfakes be treated?
1. As proof that no other source is needed
2. As a replacement for context, consent, or expert review
3. As a draft or helper output that still needs human judgment and verification
4. As something that becomes correct when it sounds confident
Name one way to verify an AI answer about deepfakes.
Which action would help you apply "Fake Videos Made by AI (Deepfakes)" responsibly?
1. Use the tool to avoid thinking through the tradeoff
2. Keep going even if the output conflicts with a trusted source
3. Trust the first answer because it sounds confident
4. Some news stories online use deepfake clips to fool readers.

← Back to interactive lesson