Most teens fear deepfakes amid widespread exposure to AI sexual content: survey

(TNND) — Two-thirds of teenagers are afraid of becoming deepfake victims, while nearly half report seeing pornographic or sexually explicit material generated by artificial intelligence in the online spaces they visit.

Youth advocacy organization Common Sense Media surveyed kids ages 13 to 17 for a new report on how AI has reshaped their exposure to sexually explicit material.

The report is part of Common Sense Media’s recently formed Youth AI Safety Institute and a follow-up to a 2023 report on how kids are exposed to online pornography.

“The world of AI, the conversations we were having back then were completely different than what we're talking about now,” said Supreet Mann, an author on the report and the director of research at Common Sense Media. “So, this new report was initially intended as more of a follow-up to that initial report but really shifted focus as we started to explore AI-generated sexual content and deepfakes.”

Overall findings on exposure to online pornography haven’t really shifted in the last three years. Nearly three-quarters of teenagers have seen online pornography, with most kids reporting exposure by the time they’re 12.

But AI has introduced a new personal risk for kids, with almost a quarter who have ever seen AI-generated sexual content saying that they’ve seen explicit content depicting themselves or someone they know.

Overall, 44% of teens said they have seen sexual content they believe was AI-generated.

The most common place to come across such content was social media, but teens also reported seeing it on pornography websites, in text messages, on group messaging apps, on gaming platforms and more.

Common Sense Media used a broad definition of AI-generated sexual content, from fake nude or pornographic images to images or videos that show people in revealing clothes or suggestive poses.

Common Sense Media said teens are getting their hands on "undressing" apps and similar "nudification" tools that can create explicit images and videos in minutes with little technical skill needed.

Nearly one in five teens told Common Sense Media that they’ve made AI-generated sexual content themselves or know someone who has.

Nearly two-thirds of teens think AI-generated sexual content is distorting how peers see bodies, relationships and intimacy.

And fears over deepfakes are common among both girls and boys, with many teens scaling back online activity to protect themselves, from posting fewer photos of themselves to deleting social media accounts altogether.

Mann applauded the “thoughtful way” some teens are trying to protect themselves from exploitation, but she was troubled that fear is driving the change. And she said that burden shouldn’t fall on young people because online platforms lack stronger protections.

SEE ALSO: Google AI search poses 'unacceptable' risk to kids: Common Sense Media

While a lot of kids are recognizing the harms of AI-generated sexual content, nearly a quarter of teens believe this content is less harmful because “no one gets hurt.”

What can parents do to protect their kids?

Mann said kids want to talk to parents or another trusted adult, but many don't know how to start. And the survey found just 20% have already had those discussions with a trusted adult.

“Opening that door for conversation doesn't have to be a really big, one-time, sit-down conversation,” Mann said. “In fact, it probably shouldn't be, right? It really should be a series of small conversations that just let young people know that it is safe to start talking about this.”