AI and Pretending to Be Someone Else Online

AI can make fake voices and faces — but using it to trick people is not okay.

7 min · Reviewed 2026

The big idea

AI can copy how someone looks or sounds, but using that to trick people into believing something untrue is a kind of lie.

Some examples

Making a fake video of a friend saying something they didn't say.
Using AI to copy a teacher's voice as a prank.
Pretending to be an adult online using an AI face.

Try it!

If a friend shows you a 'video' of someone, ask: 'How do we know this is real?' That's a good question to ask grown-ups too.

What Is a Deepfake?

AI can study thousands of photos of a person and learn to copy their face. It can study recordings of their voice and learn to sound just like them. The result is called a deepfake — a picture or video of someone that looks totally real but was made by AI, not a camera. Deepfakes can make it look like a person said or did something they never actually did.

It can hurt the real person's feelings or reputation.
It confuses people about what is true.
It can make friends feel unsafe or embarrassed.
Once something is shared online, it is very hard to take back.
Even a 'joke' deepfake can cause real pain.

End-of-lesson check

15 questions · take it digitally for instant feedback at tendril.neural-forge.io/learn/quiz/end-explorers-ethics-safety-AI-and-pretending-to-be-someone-else-r9a7

What is a deepfake?
1. An app that lets you add fun filters to your selfies
2. A special kind of camera that takes 3D photos
3. A fake video or audio that makes it look like someone said or did something they didn't
4. A computer program that helps you edit videos legally
What makes using AI to impersonate a real person dishonest?
1. AI can make people believe something false about a real person
2. AI pretend play is more fun than regular pretend
3. Dress-up is only for younger kids
4. Playing pretend is only okay outside
Which situation shows someone using AI to trick people?
1. Using an AI art tool to create a fantasy landscape for a school project
2. Making a fake video of a teacher saying something they never said
3. Adding a filter to your own selfie that looks like a cat
4. Using AI to help write a story about a dragon
A good question to ask when someone shows you a surprising video of a real person is:
1. Who is the director of this video?
2. When was this video uploaded?
3. How do we know this is real?
4. How much did this video cost to make?
An honest way to use AI voice technology would be:
1. Copying a parent's voice to trick them into thinking you're somewhere you're not
2. Making a clearly fictional podcast where characters are obviously not real people
3. Using AI to fake a principal's announcement about a school cancelation
4. Creating a fake voice call to prank a classmate
Someone makes an AI video of a classmate and clearly labels it 'This is an AI-made project.' This is:
1. Still not okay because they didn't ask permission
2. Perfectly fine because everyone knows it's AI
3. Only okay if the teacher approves
4. A deepfake and always wrong
What makes AI-generated fakes especially tricky compared to regular edited photos?
1. AI fakes can make people appear to say or do things they never actually did
2. Regular photos can never be edited
3. AI fakes always have a watermark saying 'fake'
4. AI fakes are only found on social media
Spotting fakes and choosing honesty online:
1. Is too difficult for kids to do
2. Only matters for video content
3. Is only important for adults
4. Makes the internet better for everyone
Your face and voice belong to:
1. Anyone who takes your photo
2. The AI that can copy them
3. You — they are part of your identity
4. The app you use most
A friend sends you a funny video that looks like your teacher dancing. You should:
1. Share it immediately because it's hilarious
2. Pause and wonder if it might be a deepfake
3. Report it to the police right away
4. Ask the AI if the video is real
When AI does the technical work of making a fake video, who is responsible for any harm caused by sharing it?
1. The AI, because it made the video
2. The company that built the AI
3. No one — it is just a joke
4. The person who chose to share it
Which of these is a real danger of deepfake videos?
1. They can only harm famous people
2. They can make people believe untrue things about someone
3. They always have a warning label
4. They disappear automatically after 24 hours
Using AI to copy a friend's face for a 'funny prank' without asking is a problem because:
1. AI art tools are only for professional artists
2. You are using their identity without their consent
3. Pranks are never funny
4. AI cannot actually copy faces yet
AI studying thousands of photos of a person to copy their face is the first step in creating a:
1. Photo album
2. Digital passport
3. Deepfake
4. Video game character
The hardest part about identifying deepfakes is that:
1. They are always blurry
2. They only exist in science fiction
3. They can look and sound completely real
4. Your phone can always detect them

← Back to interactive lesson

Tendril · Explorers · Safety & Governance

AI and Pretending to Be Someone Else Online

AI can make fake voices and faces — but using it to trick people is not okay.

7 min · Reviewed 2026

The big idea

AI can copy how someone looks or sounds, but using that to trick people into believing something untrue is a kind of lie.

Some examples

Making a fake video of a friend saying something they didn't say.
Using AI to copy a teacher's voice as a prank.
Pretending to be an adult online using an AI face.

Try it!

If a friend shows you a 'video' of someone, ask: 'How do we know this is real?' That's a good question to ask grown-ups too.

What Is a Deepfake?

It can hurt the real person's feelings or reputation.
It confuses people about what is true.
It can make friends feel unsafe or embarrassed.
Once something is shared online, it is very hard to take back.
Even a 'joke' deepfake can cause real pain.

End-of-lesson check

15 questions · take it digitally for instant feedback at tendril.neural-forge.io/learn/quiz/end-explorers-ethics-safety-AI-and-pretending-to-be-someone-else-r9a7

What is a deepfake?
1. An app that lets you add fun filters to your selfies
2. A special kind of camera that takes 3D photos
3. A fake video or audio that makes it look like someone said or did something they didn't
4. A computer program that helps you edit videos legally
What makes using AI to impersonate a real person dishonest?
1. AI can make people believe something false about a real person
2. AI pretend play is more fun than regular pretend
3. Dress-up is only for younger kids
4. Playing pretend is only okay outside
Which situation shows someone using AI to trick people?
1. Using an AI art tool to create a fantasy landscape for a school project
2. Making a fake video of a teacher saying something they never said
3. Adding a filter to your own selfie that looks like a cat
4. Using AI to help write a story about a dragon
A good question to ask when someone shows you a surprising video of a real person is:
1. Who is the director of this video?
2. When was this video uploaded?
3. How do we know this is real?
4. How much did this video cost to make?
An honest way to use AI voice technology would be:
1. Copying a parent's voice to trick them into thinking you're somewhere you're not
2. Making a clearly fictional podcast where characters are obviously not real people
3. Using AI to fake a principal's announcement about a school cancelation
4. Creating a fake voice call to prank a classmate
Someone makes an AI video of a classmate and clearly labels it 'This is an AI-made project.' This is:
1. Still not okay because they didn't ask permission
2. Perfectly fine because everyone knows it's AI
3. Only okay if the teacher approves
4. A deepfake and always wrong
What makes AI-generated fakes especially tricky compared to regular edited photos?
1. AI fakes can make people appear to say or do things they never actually did
2. Regular photos can never be edited
3. AI fakes always have a watermark saying 'fake'
4. AI fakes are only found on social media
Spotting fakes and choosing honesty online:
1. Is too difficult for kids to do
2. Only matters for video content
3. Is only important for adults
4. Makes the internet better for everyone
Your face and voice belong to:
1. Anyone who takes your photo
2. The AI that can copy them
3. You — they are part of your identity
4. The app you use most
A friend sends you a funny video that looks like your teacher dancing. You should:
1. Share it immediately because it's hilarious
2. Pause and wonder if it might be a deepfake
3. Report it to the police right away
4. Ask the AI if the video is real
When AI does the technical work of making a fake video, who is responsible for any harm caused by sharing it?
1. The AI, because it made the video
2. The company that built the AI
3. No one — it is just a joke
4. The person who chose to share it
Which of these is a real danger of deepfake videos?
1. They can only harm famous people
2. They can make people believe untrue things about someone
3. They always have a warning label
4. They disappear automatically after 24 hours
Using AI to copy a friend's face for a 'funny prank' without asking is a problem because:
1. AI art tools are only for professional artists
2. You are using their identity without their consent
3. Pranks are never funny
4. AI cannot actually copy faces yet
AI studying thousands of photos of a person to copy their face is the first step in creating a:
1. Photo album
2. Digital passport
3. Deepfake
4. Video game character
The hardest part about identifying deepfakes is that:
1. They are always blurry
2. They only exist in science fiction
3. They can look and sound completely real
4. Your phone can always detect them

← Back to interactive lesson