How to Protect Your Kids from Deepfake Scams

When my daughter came running to me last month, crying that one of her classmates had sent around a fake video of her saying horrible things, I realized we'd entered a new era of bullying. The video wasn't real—she'd never said those words—but it looked and sounded exactly like her.

Welcome to the world of deepfakes, where scammers and bullies can put your child's fate into videos and images they never participated in. And here's the terrifying part: this isn't some far-off future threat. It's happening right now.

What Parents Need to Know About Deepfakes

First, let's be clear about what we're dealing with. Deepfakes aren't just photo edits or voiceovers. They're AI-generated videos and images that can make it look like someone said or did something they absolutely didn't do.

The technology has gotten frighteningly good. With just a few photos from social media and some basic software (much of it free), someone can create a convincing video of your child. They can make it look like your teen is in places they've never been, saying things they'd never say, doing things they'd never do.

The Scams Targeting Kids Right Now

Here are the actual scams happening to real families:

The Sextortion Scam: Predators create fake inappropriate images or videos using your child's face and then threaten to share them unless the child pays money or sends real compromising material. This is particularly devastating because the initial fake image looks completely real.

The Reputation Attack: Bullies create fake videos of classmates to damage their social standing. Your daughter never made fun of that girl in the lunch video—but good luck convincing everyone at school of that.

The Identity Theft Setup: Scammers create fake social media accounts using deepfake videos of your teen to scam their friends and followers. "Hey, it's really me—my phone broke so I made a new account. Can you send me $50 for a new one?"

The Voice Cloning Emergency: This one's particularly cruel. Scammers clone your child's voice from videos posted online, then call grandparents claiming to be in trouble and needing money urgently.

How I'm Protecting My Family

After the incident with my daughter, I had to get serious about protection. Here's what actually works:

Limit Public Content: I know, I know—kids want to post everything online. But every public photo or video is potential ammunition for deepfake creators. We now have strict rules about what can be posted publicly versus shared only with approved friends.

My daughter wasn't happy about making her social media private. We compromised: she can post publicly, but faces and voices are limited to private accounts with people she actually knows.

Teach the Red Flags: Kids need to know what deepfake attempts look like. Sit down with them and watch examples together (there are educational videos specifically for this purpose). Show them the warning signs: weird facial movements, strange lighting inconsistencies, audio that doesn't quite match lip movements.

Create a Family Password: This sounds old-school, but it works. Our family has a secret password that only we know. If someone claiming to be a family member contacts us asking for help or money, we require the password. No password? We verify through a different communication channel.

Document Reality: Encourage your kids to save original versions of photos and videos they post. If someone later creates a deepfake, having the originals with metadata can help prove what's real.

Monitor Without Spying: There's a difference between being protective and being intrusive. I don't read my daughter's private messages, but I do check who's following her, what's being posted publicly about her, and whether her name appears in unexpected places online.

What to Do If It Happens

Despite our best efforts, my daughter still became a deepfake victim. Here's what we did:

Don't Panic (Out Loud): Your child is already scared. When they come to you with this problem, your first reaction sets the tone for how they'll handle it.

Document Everything: Screenshot the fake content, note where it appeared, who shared it, when you first saw it. This creates evidence if you need to involve authorities.

Report Immediately: Most social media platforms have specific deepfake reporting processes now. Use them. They're not perfect, but they do take down content—eventually.

Contact the School: If the deepfake involves classmates or affects your child's school life, administrators need to know. Schools are finally starting to take cyberbullying seriously.

Don't Engage with the Creator: Your first instinct might be to confront whoever made the fake. Don't. It often makes things worse. Let authorities handle it.

Get Professional Help: The emotional impact of seeing yourself in a fake video can be traumatic. We got my daughter a counselor who specializes in cyberbullying. Best decision we made.

The Conversation You Need to Have Today

Sit down with your kids—all of them, regardless of age— and have this conversation:

"Someone could take your photos and videos from online and create fake content that looks like you. This isn't your fault if it happens. You can always come to me, and we'll figure it out together. You will never be in trouble for being a victim."

That last part is crucial. Kids often don't tell parents when they're targeted because they're afraid of getting in trouble or losing internet privileges. Make it clear that they're safe coming to you.

We also discussed:

• What to do if someone asks them to send images or videos (even if the requester claims to already have them)
• How to verify if a friend is really asking for help or if it's a scam
• Why even innocent-looking photos can. be weaponized
• The importance of trusting their gut when something feels wrong

Teaching Digital Literacy

Here's what I wish I'd done earlier: treated digital literacy like any other crucial life skill.

We teach kids not to get in cars with strangers, but do we teach them not to put their face online where strangers can use it? We warn them about offline dangers but ignore digital ones until something goes wrong.

I now have regular "digital safety" check-ins with my daughter, just like we have regular talks about other important topics. We discuss:

• What new scams are going around
• Changes in her privacy settings
• Who's new in her online circles
• Any weird messages or interactions she's noticed

It's not interrogation—it's conversation. The goal is keeping communication open so she feels comfortable telling me when something's off.

The Bigger Picture

Individual protection is important, but we also need systemic changes. I've started:

• Contacting our school district to implement deepfake education
• Supporting legislation that makes creating malicious deepfakes illegal
• Advocating for social media platforms to improve detection
• Joining parent groups focused on digital safety

This feels overwhelming sometimes. But remember: you don't have to be a tech expert to protect your family. You just need to be aware, engaged, and proactive.

Moving Forward

The deepfake incident with my daughter was scary. But it also opened important conversations that I should have started earlier. We're now more careful online, more aware of digital threats, and more connected as a family because we navigate these challenges together.

Your kids are growing up in a world where seeing isn't always believing. That's unsettling. But with the right knowledge, tools, and communication, you can help them stay safe.

Start those conversations today. Because the scammers and bullies? They're not waiting.