AI Can Make Fake Things Look Real

AI can make fake pictures, fake videos, and fake voices that look and sound real. Knowing this is important for trusting what you see online.

A photo of someone could be totally fake. A video clip might never have happened. A voice might be cloned.

Three places to be extra careful

• Surprising photos that you have never seen anywhere else
• Videos where someone says something out of character
• Voices on phone calls asking for unusual things

The big idea: AI can fake almost anything online. Pause before sharing surprising things.

AI can put anyone's face into a video and make it look like they said or did something. Even YOUR face. Even your friends' faces. Sometimes deepfakes are silly. But they can also hurt people.

Some examples

• Funny: making yourself look like you are flying.
• Scary: making a video where someone says something bad they never said.
• Harmful: making a video to embarrass or bully someone.
• Illegal: making fake videos of someone without their permission.

Try it!

Talk to a grown-up about deepfakes. Make a family rule: nobody in our family makes deepfakes of other people without asking.

Using AI to make a fake picture or video of a real person — even as a prank — can damage how others see them. In many places it is also against the law.

Some examples

• A fake photo of a kid 'crying' can spread and hurt their feelings for years
• A pretend video of a teacher saying mean things can get the teacher in real trouble
• Even labeling it 'fake' does not stop people from saving and sharing it
• Once a fake image is online, it is almost impossible to fully delete

Try it!

If you saw a fake AI photo of yourself going around, how would you feel? That feeling is your guide.