Last updated: October 7, 2026.

AI-generated and digitally altered images are getting easier to create. For families, the useful question is not whether every strange image is fake—it is how to slow down, verify, and respond when something harmful appears.

Start With a No-Forward Rule

If an image or video is harmful, humiliating, or explicit, forwarding it can make the damage worse. Teach children and adults to stop distribution rather than becoming another link in the chain.

Separate Verification From Sharing

You can verify a claim without reposting the media. Check the original account, look for reporting from reliable sources, and search for an earlier version of the image when appropriate.

What the FTC Highlighted in 2026

In an October 2026 consumer alert, the FTC focused on conversations parents can have with kids about deepfakes and online safety. It also pointed families to the Take It Down process for certain explicit images involving children, including deepfakes.

Keep the Conversation Practical

• Ask before sharing photos or videos of someone else.
• Do not create or share explicit deepfakes, even as a joke.
• Tell a trusted adult when threatening or explicit content appears.
• Report harmful content through the platform and appropriate official channels.

Related reading: Impersonation scams: a check-first guide · What the FTC’s Active Listening case actually found

The Bottom Line

Deepfakes create a new reason to build old-fashioned habits: verify before believing, do not amplify harmful material, and make it easy for children to ask for help without fearing the first reaction.

Source: FTC Consumer Alert — Deepfakes, Online Safety and the Take It Down Act.