AI deepfakes are in our schools. What's the right way to handle them?

AI-generated deepfakes, particularly non-consensual pornographic images targeting female students, are increasingly circulating in Australian schools, prompting criticism of institutional responses and raising concerns about student safety and wellbeing. A Tasmanian school faced backlash for advising parents not to tell their daughters about their images being used in deepfakes, while authorities stress the need for trauma-informed, victim-centered approaches. Experts and regulators emphasize the importance of reporting incidents, supporting victims, and strengthening digital literacy and consent education in schools. New Australian laws now criminalize the creation and sharing of non-consensual deepfake pornography, with the first prosecution resulting in a guilty plea.