Deepfake Workshop Explores the Importance of Digital Safety

REBOOT Jr. hosted “Unmasking Reality: A Deepfake Workshop for Students in Grades 5–8 and Their Parents,” an interactive experience that explored the intersection of AI, social media, and digital ethics. Francesca Mani, a junior at Westfield High School, who was a victim of AI misuse herself, led the session, and her mother, Dorota, an advocate and educator on the topic, was there to support her. 

Francesca opened the discussion by emphasizing the importance of digital safety: acquiring consent before posting images of others, awareness of misinformation, and understanding how AI is present in the social media platforms students and parents use. She also highlighted issues such as cyberbullying, exposure to strangers, low self-esteem, inappropriate content, and online scams. 

Parents and students, sitting at tables around the room, talked about when, and how, it’s okay to use AI: for both students in school and parents at work. Whereas AI can be a helpful tool, the group agreed it should not replace human effort or creativity in tasks such as job applications and presentations. 

“We’re so grateful to Francesca Mani and her mother, Dorota, for coming to KPS to lead this workshop,” said Karen Rezach, Director of the Ethics Institute. “As the victim of a ‘deepfake’ incident at her school, Francesca is a wonderful role model for our Middle School students as she demonstrates to them how they can turn a very bad situation into an opportunity to make a positive difference, not only for themselves but for the greater community as well.” 

Francesca helped students and parents experiment with Canvaa’s Magic Media feature, generating images based on random keywords. Some participants experienced hallucinations, where the AI-generated images were not what they had requested, which highlighted the potential for AI to create unexpected results. Francesca stressed the need to be cautious of bias in these types of images. 

Alicia Regnault, Educational Technology & Support Specialist, who advises REBOOT and REBOOT Jr., says Francesca’s workshop offered helpful tips to both parents and students. “The world of AI is opening up incredible possibilities,” she said, “but we must also recognize the ethical tightrope we’re walking. Think about deepfakes, the way AI can create false videos and images, and how easily misinformation spreads on social media. It’s crucial that we learn to navigate this digital landscape responsibly, understanding both the potential and the pitfalls of AI, so we can all thrive in a world in which technology serves us, not the other way around.”  

Francesca also led a discussion on social media’s potential negative effects on mental health and encouraged students and parents to establish limits to their screen time.