Ghana Update and the Growing Problem of Deepfakes Cybertraps 153

• Update from Ghana

- #2023–03–13_1100 Meeting with the Cybercrime Unit of the Ghana Police Service
- #2023–03–14_1200 Visit to 5/6 classroom at Primus Hybrid School
- #2023–03–19_1400 Pan-Africa webinar for parents
- How can parents and carers monitor their children’s online activity without infringing on their privacy?
- What are the long-term effects of excessive technology use on children’s mental and physical health?
- How can parents and carers stay informed about new technology trends and potential risks?
- What should parents and carers do if they suspect their child is being cyberbullied or harassed online?
- How can parents and carers effectively communicate with their children about technology use without creating conflict or tension?
- How can parents and carers address their own technology use and set a good example for their children?
- What is the role of peer pressure and social media in shaping children’s online behavior, and how can parents and carers help children navigate these pressures?
- How can technology be used to enhance learning and development for children, and what are some best practices for incorporating technology into education?
- How can parents and carers help children build healthy relationships with their devices and encourage offline activities and hobbies?
- What is the role of technology companies and platforms in promoting safe and responsible technology use, and how can parents and carers hold them accountable?
- The Growing Problem of Deepfakes
- News Item: New York students create a deepfake video of middle school principal saying racist things
“https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/03/14/racist-deepfakes-carmel-tiktok/”
- Details
- Target of the malicious attack was George Fischer Middle School
- In late January or early February, multiple videos were released on Tiktok, with a male voice laid over videos of Principal John Piscitella
- The voiceovers contained racist statements and threats of violence
- TikTok quickly took the videos down but not before they were seen by multiple students
- Carmel Central School District sent out a letter on February 13, 2023, alerting parents to the videos and saying “that three high-schoolers had “used artificial intelligence to impersonate the staff” and made them appear to make “inappropriate comments” in videos.”
- The school did not describe the videos, nor did it specifically mention the racist comments or threats of violence
- Simultaneous, local police closed their investigation after determining that no crime had been committed
- The District defended its response to angry parents, saying that “they were trying to balance disclosing sensitive information without generating panic”
- But parents accused the District of minimizing the videos
- The videos raise many issues, most controversial:
- Racism
- Student Privacy
- The Use and Abuse of Technology (particularly AI)
- Threats of Gun Violence
- Disciplinary action was taken against three students but District refused to say what action was taken
- Analysis
- Schools need to be more transparent about the nature of incidents like these
- We may need to consider the cost of student privacy
- These were relatively crude deepfake videos; the technology exists now to make much more convincing videos
- Additional Resources
- #2023–03–09 Principal appears to spew racist threats in disturbing video — but it never actually happened
“https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/principal-appears-to-spew-racist-threats-in-disturbing-video-%E2%80%94-but-it-never-actually-happened/ar-AA18qImu”
- #2023–03–08 High Schoolers Made a Racist Deepfake of a Principal Threatening Black Students
“https://www.vice.com/en/article/7kxzk9/school-principal-deepfake-racist-video”
- #2023–03–02 TikTok videos threatening Black students have Carmel parents on edge, district promising change
“https://www.lohud.com/story/news/education/2023/03/02/racist-tiktok-videos-threaten-black-kids-in-carmel-ny-worry-parents/69941181007/”
- Fred’s presentation at ASTE about Chatbots