Your friend shows you a deepfake nude he made of his ex and is threatening to share it with the guys in his class. Do you call him out?
H&PE Curriculum Connections
Grade 7: A1.1, A1.2, A1.4, A1.5, A1.6; D1.1, D2.2
Grade 8: A1.1, A1.2, A1.4, A1.5, A1.6; D1.5, D2.2, D3.2
Grade 9: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5; C1.2, C1.5, C2.2, C3.3
Grade 10: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, C1.1, C2.3, C3.4
What Is It All About?
Every person has the right to respect, privacy, dignity, and freedom from harassment (Ontario Human Rights Code, 2024). Deepfakes are media manipulations that are based on advanced artificial intelligence (AI), where images, voices, videos or text are digitally altered or fully generated by AI. Deepfakes may be used to generate entertainment; they may also be used to create and share false, degrading, and humiliating images of an individual with the intent to cause harm. Deepfakes can affect all people. However, they disproportionately affect girls and women who are almost always the target of non-consensual pornographic deepfake images or videos, constituting another form of gender-based violence (Government of Ontario, 2024).
Learning about this form of gender-based violence is key to understanding the concept of consent in the digital age, the factors that constitute healthy relationships, and the importance of responsible citizenship. When students have the opportunity to assess and evaluate the impact of deepfakes on individuals, reflect on attitudes that normalize the behaviour of creating and/or distributing deepfakes, and explore ways of being supportive bystanders, they are better able to advocate for education and change.
During this activity, students explore the issue of generating and sharing deepfakes as a form of gender-based violence with the intent to humiliate, violate, or demean another individual. Students assess the impact of deepfakes on the individuals targeted and consider strategies to safely respond to situations as bystanders and responsible digital citizens, and to contribute to a safer and more inclusive school community.
The video used for this activity contains two parts.
Part 1 of the video addresses:
- what constitutes a deepfake
- statistics about the prevalence of deepfakes and who is most often targeted
- the impact of this form of gender-based violence, despite the fact that the image is not real
- how this form of gender-based violence impacts individuals differently based on the various components of their identities and experiences
- that women, transgender, and gender-diverse individuals are most often blamed, shamed, and held responsible for the violation of their privacy and consent
Part 2 of the video addresses:
- why deepfakes are problematic and harmful
- how to draw the line, including strategies for safely and confidently intervening in the situation
- the connection between an individual’s actions and their values and beliefs
- the importance of being a caring friend and responsible bystander
- the importance of speaking up about this form of gender-based violence to educate others in their school community and be an advocate for change
What Do We Need?
- Ophea’s Deepfake Scenario Video and projection equipment
- Ophea’s Deepfake card or poster or a projected copy of the card
- Student Worksheet
- Refer to Ophea’s Gender-Based Violence Prevention Education Resource Database for additional resources.
Guided discussion questions:
- What are some examples of digital technologies? What are some benefits and risks associated with the use of digital technologies?
- What does it mean to be a responsible digital citizen and why is it important?
- Why would someone create a deepfake and share it or threaten to share it with others or online?
- How are deepfakes a form of gender-based violence (e.g., women, transgender, and gender-diverse individuals are most often the target; the purpose is to inflict harm by degrading and sexualizing the individual targeted)?
- How are deepfakes a violation of an individual’s consent, even without sharing them with others or online (e.g., the image is generated without the individual’s knowledge or consent; it violates an individual’s right to ownership of their image and voice; it’s a violation of their boundaries and their right to privacy)?
- How can this form of technology-facilitated violence be responded to safely to disrupt the behaviour and support the individual targeted (e.g., talk to the individual who intends to inflict harm; talk to the individual being targeted; talk to a trusted adult for help in determining actions to take; report it)?
- Why is it important to intervene and advocate against gender-based violence (e.g., the normalization of this form of gender-based violence should be challenged and not validated; being a responsible digital citizen helps to create a respectful online environment and an inclusive school community)?
Opportunities for Assessment
During the “Minds On”, observe small-group conversation to assess students' initial understanding of deepfakes as a form of gender-based violence, the subtleties of the issue of generating and sharing deepfakes, and the potential impact on the individuals targeted.
During the “Action”, use students’ responses on the Student Worksheet and the large group sharing to assess their developing understanding of deepfakes as a form of gender-based violence, the subtleties of the issue of generating and sharing deepfakes, and the potential impact on the individuals targeted.
During the “Consolidation”, use the small-group conversation and large group sharing to assess students' understanding of responses and actions they would feel comfortable and confident in taking to respond to deepfakes as a bystander, and educate others about this form of gender-based violence.
How Is It Done?
Minds On
Have students convene in small groups. Using the Student Worksheet (or a shared document, sticky notes, chart paper, or Graffiti Wall), have groups capture their ideas in response to these questions:
- What are some examples of digital technologies? What are some of the benefits and risks associated with the use of digital technologies? ( e.g., Benefits: efficiency and time savings, increased access to information, improved communication including global access; Risks: misuse of private information, exposure to inappropriate images, predators, coercion, bullying and harassment, identity theft, potential for loss of privacy) (Ministry of Education, 2019)
- What does it mean to be a responsible digital citizen? (e.g., uses technology positively and responsibly; uses appropriate language when communicating with others; uses trusted sources and checks facts; protects their privacy and the privacy of others; doesn’t pressure others to share things)? Why is it important (e.g., helps create a positive culture online; avoids spreading disinformation; important to speak out about online hate, bullying, and harassment to avoid normalizing the behaviour) (Media Smarts, 2024)
Introduce the Deepfake Scenario Card and have groups capture their responses to these questions:
- Why do you think your friend created the deepfake nude of his ex (e.g., to embarrass/ humiliate his ex; to get back at them as a form of revenge; as a way to deal with their rejection; they think it’s funny or cool)?
- What do you think your friend is hoping to gain by creating and threatening to share the deepfake with the guys in his class (e.g., they might be seeking attention from peers, seeking respect or popularity, seeking to gain control over their ex?
- How might your friend’s ex feel if they knew about the deepfake (e.g., embarrassed, angry, frightened, violated)? How would this situation affect your friend’s ex if he followed through with his threat to share it (e.g., they might be humiliated and feel ashamed; their sense of safety, mental health, relationships, and reputation might be impacted)?
- How might the guys in your friend’s class respond to viewing the deepfake image? How might others who are aware that the deepfake exists or view it respond (e.g., have empathy for the individual being targeted; shame or blame the person targeted; make them feel they are responsible for what happened; feel embarrassed for them; not think it’s a big deal because the image isn’t real)?
- Even if your friend does not share the deepfake, how has he already caused harm (e.g., the image is generated without the individual’s knowledge or permission; violates an individual’s right to ownership of their image and voice; violates their boundaries and their right to privacy)?
Action
Access Part 1 of the Deepfake Scenario Video.
- As the video plays, encourage students to take notes in the section provided on their Student Worksheet to extend their initial responses to the scenario and learn how deepfakes can be a form of gender-based violence, the impact these images have on individuals being targeted and those who view it, and the violation of an individual's right to consent. After playing Part 1 of the video, have students review their initial responses to the scenario and add any new ideas/information they learned from the video.
- Have students use their initial responses to the Deepfake Scenario Card, their notes from Part 1 of the video, and their Student Worksheet (or a shared document, sticky notes, chart paper, or Graffiti Wall) to capture their ideas in response to these questions:
- What motivates individuals to create and share deepfakes online (e.g., might think it is funny; for entertainment; to inflict harm)? Why is this behaviour problematic (e.g., it is a form of gender-based violence targeting women, transgender, and gender-diverse individuals with the intent to degrade and sexualize the individual targeted; it normalizes this form of technology-facilitated violence)?
- What might be some of the negative consequences of engaging in this form of behaviour and the impact of not responding to this form of behaviour as a bystander (e.g., affects how others might view the person who intended harm; impacts how others might respond or how others might view the individual who is the subject of the deepfake; affects an individual's sense of safety; impact on mental health, relationships, and reputation; remaining silent condones the behaviour; contributes to a culture of violence against women, transgender, and gender-diverse individuals; creates an unsafe online environment; contributes to spreading disinformation)?
- How might you safely intervene in this situation as a caring friend of the individual who created the deepfake? (e.g., talk to them and let them know that this is a violation of their ex's consent to the image)?
- How might you safely intervene in this situation and show support to your friend's ex who is being targeted (e.g., let them know you care, you are there to listen, ask how you can support them, let them know it is not their fault)?
- Have groups share some or all of their responses with the class to help clarify or extend their thinking about the consequences of engaging in this form of behaviour, the impact of not responding, and ways to safely intervene.
Access Part 2 of the Deepfake Scenario Video.
- Continue to encourage students to take notes in the section provided on their Student Worksheet as the video plays.
- Have students pay attention to the various ways they might safely and confidently intervene to support the individual being targeted, and to take action to contribute to a safer and more inclusive school community.
Consolidation
Have students work in their groups, using what they learned from Part 2 of the video, to consider the actions they would feel comfortable and confident in taking to safely intervene to support the individual who is targeted in the scenario. Have groups think about other actions they might take as responsible digital citizens and to help stop this form of gender-based violence in their school community.
Encourage students to anchor their responses to their understanding of the impact of deepfakes, the importance of intervening safely as a bystander, the concept of a consent-based culture, and the importance of being responsible digital citizens.
Have groups share some or all of their proposed actions with the class to help clarify or extend their thinking about how to be responsible digital citizens and help stop this form of gender-based violence in their school community.
Ideas for Extension
Before the activity: Review the IDEAL Decision-making Model with students to guide their thinking about possible pros and cons and actions to help guide their decision-making about how to support individuals who are targets of this form of gender-based violence. This framework includes five steps:
- I – Identify the problem.
- D – Describe all possible solutions.
- E – Evaluate the pros and cons of each solution.
- A – Act on the best solution.
- L – Learn from the choices.
Create opportunities to explore the factors that impact an individual’s self-concept, self-awareness, sense of identity and self-worth, anchored in diversity, inclusion, respect for self and others and consent. Have students discuss the characteristics of healthy relationships and what these relationships look like, sound like, and feel like. Invite students to create/draw/find images that represent what they want in a healthy relationship.
Engage students in further learning about gender-based violence prevention with additional Gender-Based Violence Prevention Education Activities.
Explore additional Gender-Based Violence Prevention Education videos, such as Introduction to Gender-Based Violence Prevention or Introduction to Consent, to extend discussions about taking action.
Educator Notes
- Access Ophea's Culturally Responsive and Relevant Pedagogy in Health and Physical Education to explore ways to adopt an intersectional approach to teaching and learning while engaging students in learning about gender-based violence prevention. Also includes questions to assist in reflecting on program planning in the context of culture from a student-centred approach.
- Before starting a classroom conversation, be aware that some students may have experienced situations related to the topic, either directly or indirectly, in the past or present. This awareness includes recognizing that some students might have already experienced homophobic bullying or harassment and other forms of gender-based violence. Therefore, it is important to identify resources for support that you can share discreetly or generally with students to let them know that they are not alone and that there is always someone who can help them (e.g., trusted adult, educator, guidance counsellor, social worker, social services, health nurse, and/or school liaison officer).
- Coordinate with school support staff (e.g., school guidance counsellor, social worker, principal) to ensure they are aware and available to support or refer students, if needed, during and after the discussion.
- Allow students to capture their feelings in various ways (e.g., notes, pictures, doodles, drawings). Understand that students might have a lot of different emotions in reaction to this scenario. Help students unpack the feelings that emerge and work through them in a healthy way.
- Remind students about the Better and Best Tips applicable before, during, and after the activity. (Refer to Tips for Constructive Classroom Conversations.)
- Focus students’ attention more on the moral and ethical implications of creating and distributing deepfakes and why it’s wrong to violate someone’s consent, and less on any implications of possible disciplinary actions. This argument might resonate for some students, but it can shift the focus away from a productive place. We want students to resist engaging in this kind of behaviour because it causes harm, not just because it might “get them in trouble.”
- We each have a responsibility to protect children and youth from harm. As a professional educator working directly with students and supporting others doing the same, you have a duty to report when you have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is or may be in need of protection.
References
Government of Ontario. (2024). Deepfakes: A Real Threat to a Canadian Future. Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/security-intelligence-service/corporate/publications/the-evolution-of-disinformation-a-deepfake-future/deepfakes-a-real-threat-to-a-canadian-future.html
Ministry of Education. (2019). The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: Health and Physical Education, 252.
Media Smarts. (2024). What is Digital Citizenship? Retrieved from https://mediasmarts.ca/digital-media-literacy/general-information/digital-media-literacy-fundamentals/what-digital-citizenship
Ontario Human Rights Code. (2024). Retrieved from https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90h19
