Unit 6 · Lesson 2
Deepfakes and disclosure
Spot synthetic media — and know when to say you used AI.
You already know AI can generate — that was verb three, back in Unit 1. It can generate a face that never existed, a voice that sounds exactly like a real person, a video of someone saying words they never said.
That last one has a name: a deepfake. And it puts two questions on your plate. When someone shows you AI-made media — do you believe it? And when you use AI — do you say so?
Seeing is no longer believing. And the fix isn't fear — it's a habit of checking, and a habit of honesty.
One idea: be skeptical of what you see, honest about what you make
Half one — spotting fakes. You can't always tell a deepfake by looking (they're getting too good). So you lean on the skills you already built:
| Move you already know | How it catches a fake |
|---|---|
| Check the source | Where did this first appear? A real event shows up in many trusted places. |
| What would change your mind? | If it's real, other evidence exists. If it's the only copy, be suspicious. |
| Slow down | Fakes spread on outrage — the "how could they?!" feeling that makes you share before thinking. |
Half two — disclosure. When you make something with AI, saying so is just honesty. "I used AI to help draft this" isn't an admission of cheating — it's the same as saying "I used a calculator" or "my friend edited this." It builds trust. Hiding it, when it matters, breaks it.
Do the thing
Decide what you'd do in each spot:
- A video pops up of a famous person saying something shocking. It's only on one random account.
- You used AI to brainstorm ideas for a class project, then wrote it yourself.
- You made a funny "photo" of your teacher as a superhero with an image generator, to share with friends.
- AI wrote most of an essay and you're about to put your name on it as all yours.
Quick check. 1: don't share yet — one random source for a shocking claim is a deepfake red flag; check if real outlets have it. 2: a quick "I brainstormed with AI" is honest and totally fine — the thinking was yours. 3: pause — even as a joke, a realistic fake of a real person can spread and be believed; make it obviously cartoonish and get their okay. 4: disclose or don't submit it — passing off AI work as fully your own is the kind of hiding that breaks trust (and usually breaks the rules).
Why this matters
The people who thrive with AI aren't the most fooled or the most fearful — they're the most honest and alert.
- A shocking clip from nowhere is a claim, not proof. Check before you spread.
- Say when you used AI. Honesty about your tools is a reputation you get to keep.
One lesson left — the capstone. You'll take everything from all six units and write the rules you choose to live by: your own AI constitution.