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Real Teenagers, Fake Nudes: The Rise of Deepfakes in American Schools

Students are using artificial intelligence to create sexually explicit images of their classmates.

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Hosted by Sabrina Tavernise

Featuring Natasha Singer

Produced by Sydney Harper and Shannon M. Lin

Edited by Marc Georges

Original music by Marion LozanoElisheba Ittoop and Dan Powell

Engineered by Chris Wood

Warning: this episode contains strong language, descriptions of explicit content and sexual harassment

A disturbing new problem is sweeping American schools: Students are using artificial intelligence to create sexually explicit images of their classmates and then share them without the person depicted even knowing.

Natasha Singer, who covers technology, business and society for The Times, discusses the rise of deepfake nudes and one girl’s fight to stop them.

  • Natasha Singer, a reporter covering technology, business and society for The New York Times.

ImageA girl and her mother stand next to each other wearing black clothing. They are looking into the distance and their hair is blowing in the wind.
After boys at Francesca Mani’s high school fabricated and shared explicit images of girls last year, she and her mother, Dorota, began lobbying for tougher safeguards.Credit...Shuran Huang

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Natasha Singer writes about technology, business and society. She is currently reporting on the far-reaching ways that tech companies and their tools are reshaping public schools, higher education and job opportunities. More about Natasha Singer

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