This browser does not support the Video element.
Warning kids about AI images
Law enforcement is warning parents about a scheme involving fake images. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children says reports of fake images have skyrocketed in just the past year. FOX 13’s Kellie Cowan reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has created an online, animated series to teach kids about the dangers of problematic content that can be created using artificial intelligence.
Experts say it only takes a few minutes to start the conversation about AI dangers with your child, and it’s crucial that you do.
The backstory:
The NCMEC has released a new animated episode of their online safety series "NetSmartz" aimed at keeping kids safe online.
The latest episode, titled "That's Not Me", teaches kids to be critical of content and information found online, how to understand the risks of deepfakes or digital forgeries, and the impact they can have on emotions, safety, and social situations.
Courtesy: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
This season of NetSmartz is designed for children aged 10 and 11 and focuses on preventing online exploitation and teaches kids how they can and should report inappropriate content.
Parents and educators can also download a PowerPoint presentation that accompanies each episode and includes learning objectives, talking points, and critical information for you and your child.
By the numbers:
The NCMEC says reports involving AI-generated fake images have skyrocketed more than 1,300-percent in the past year, while reports of online exploitation increased by 97%.
Cases involve kids using apps to create inappropriate images of classmates. Others involve strangers using AI to blackmail kids, a crime known as sextortion.
READ: TPA continues to expand international routes, more travelers using AI in planning
What they're saying:
"We've got to get in front of it and start talking to them at younger ages," Tina Bigdeli, NCMEC senior program manager of training and prevention, recently told WINK News. "Where do you start? That's what I love about our program is it's literally giving you a script and it's giving you something to talk about rather than it being this very awkward conversation."
What you can do:
Parents and educators can find the animated series as well as tips on how to start the conversation by clicking here.
The Source: Information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and reporting from WINK News contributed to this story.
This browser does not support the Video element.