Like all technological advances, the advent of AI has opened the door to incredible opportunities.
But those opportunities have come hand in hand with unforeseen challenges.
The last thing we want to do is cause unnecessary concern, but we believe the best way to safeguard our children is to know the issues that are out there so we can tackle them together.
Potential dangers we need to be aware of:
AI-generated deepfakes
Deepfakes involve manipulation of images and audio to create convincing but entirely fake content and disinformation. This can include the creation of fake identities which can be used to threaten or coerce.
AI grooming
Grooming is based upon building a false relationship of trust with the victim and AI enables the interaction to be much more convincing and manipulative.
Complex algorithms can access a child’s online presence, replicating their interests, friendships and patterns of behaviour to allow a much more targeted approach.
Generative AI
This is a sophisticated software which can produce text, images, videos, music and even generate content itself. It can also imitate a human and hold conversations so our children might think they are talking to a real person when they’re not.
What parents can do
We can help our children as they explore this new territory and encourage media literacy by helping them to:
Develop critical thinking
We can help our children weigh the reliability of information they come across by getting them to ask questions – is it from a person we can trust? Does it sound like information they already know to be true?
Encourage them to check out other sources, ask questions, be curious and not accept everything they see at face value.
Initiate discussion
Try to start honest and open conversations with your children about their online activities and explain the potential risks around AI generated content. This is probably best done as little and often chats rather than one big lecture!
Check settings
Encourage your children to think twice before sharing private information that could be misused. Ensure privacy settings are up to date and passwords are secure.
Trust their instincts
Encourage them to make safe choices with the people they interact with online. If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Let them know they can talk to you or someone they trust about anything they see online.
About the author
Katharine Hill is a Director at Care for the Family. She is a well-known speaker, broadcaster and author of a number of books. She is married to Richard, and they have four grown-up children and nine grandchildren.
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