AP Special Report Spotlight Education The rise of deepfake cyberbullying poses a growing problem for schools HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH Associated Press Jan 3, 2026 Jan 3, 2026 Updated Mar 13, 2026 0 Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Schools face a growing problem of students using artificial intelligence to transform innocent images of classmates into sexually explicit deepfakes.kAm%96 72==@FE 7C@> E96 DAC625 @7 E96 >2?:AF=2E65 A9@E@D 2?5 G:56@D 42? 4C62E6 2 ?:89E>2C6 7@C E96 G:4E:>D]k^AmkAm%96 492==6?86 7@C D49@@=D H2D 9:89=:89E65 E9:D 72== H96? px\86?6C2E65 ?F56 :>286D DH6AE E9C@F89 2 {@F:D:2?2 >:55=6 D49@@=] %H@ 3@JD F=E:>2E6=J H6C6 492C865[ 3FE ?@E 367@C6 @?6 @7 E96 G:4E:>D H2D 6IA6==65 7@C DE2CE:?8 2 7:89E H:E9 2 3@J D96 244FD65 @7 4C62E:?8 E96 :>286D @7 96C 2?5 96C 7C:6?5D]k^Am kAm“(9:=6 E96 23:=:EJ E@ 2=E6C :>286D 92D 366? 2G2:=23=6 7@C 564256D[ E96 C:D6 @7 p]x] 92D >256 :E 62D:6C 7@C 2?J@?6 E@ 2=E6C @C 4C62E6 DF49 :>286D H:E9 =:EE=6 E@ ?@ EC2:?:?8 @C 6IA6C:6?46[” {27@FC496 !2C:D9 $96C:77 rC2:8 (63C6 D2:5 :? 2 ?6HD C6=62D6] “%9:D :?4:56?E 9:89=:89ED 2 D6C:@FD 4@?46C? E92E 2== A2C6?ED D9@F=5 255C6DD H:E9 E96:C 49:=5C6?]”k^Am People are also reading… Single-vehicle wreck kills 18-year-old in Franklin County Franklin County residents push back on proposed tax increases, zoning changes Former Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax fatally shot wife before taking own life, police say Franklin County School Board expels 4-day school week proposal Manhunt ends with fatal shooting of Henry County suspect Spanberger signs bills that tighten controls on guns After fall: Justin Fairfax's 'profound retreat' from family Franklin County sheriff's deputies often make immigration arrests for ICE Virginia Democrats spar with governor over money to pay looming bills Franklin County wants to raise taxes. Here's where the money would go. 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DE2E6 $6?] !2EC:4< r@??:4<[ H9@ 2FE9@C65 E96 =68:D=2E:@?]k^Am kAm%96 =2H :D @?6 @7 >2?J 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ E2<:?8 2:> 2E 566A72<6D] x? a_ad[ 2E =62DE 92=7 E96 DE2E6D 6?24E65 =68:D=2E:@? 255C6DD:?8 E96 FD6 @7 86?6C2E:G6 px E@ 4C62E6 D66>:?8=J C62=:DE:4[ 3FE 723C:42E65[ :>286D 2?5 D@F?5D[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 }2E:@?2= r@?76C6?46 @7 $E2E6 {68:D=2EFC6D] $@>6 @7 E96 =2HD 255C6DD D:>F=2E65 49:=5 D6IF2= 23FD6 >2E6C:2=]k^Am kAm$EF56?ED 2=D@ H6C6 AC@D64FE65 :? u=@C:52 2?5 !6??DJ=G2?:2 2?5 6IA6==65 :? A=246D =:<6 r2=:7@C?:2] ~?6 7:7E9 8C256 E62496C :? %6I2D 2=D@ H2D 492C865 H:E9 FD:?8 px E@ 4C62E6 49:=5 A@C?@8C2A9J @7 9:D DEF56?ED]k^Am k9amt2D:6C E@ 4C62E6k^9amkAm&?E:= E96 A2DE 76H J62CD[ A6@A=6 ?66565 D@>6 E649?:42= D<:==D E@ >2<6 566A72<6D C62=:DE:4[ D2:5 $6C8:@ p=6I2?56C[ 2 C6D62C49 2DD@4:2E6 2E %6I2D r9C:DE:2? &?:G6CD:EJ H9@ 92D HC:EE6? 23@FE E96 :DDF6]k^AmkAm“}@H[ J@F 42? 5@ :E @? 2? 2AA[ J@F 42? 5@H?=@25 :E @? 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E96 $49@@= @7 rC:>:?@=@8J 2?5 rC:>:?2= yFDE:46 2E u=@C:52 pE=2?E:4 &?:G6CD:EJ] k^Am Education The Education Department is dismantling. Here's what that means COLLIN BINKLEY and ANNIE MA Associated Press k9amw2C>7F= EC2F>2k^9amkAmpx 566A72<6D 2C6 5:776C6?E 7C@> EC25:E:@?2= 3F==J:?8 3642FD6 :?DE625 @7 2 ?2DEJ E6IE @C CF>@C[ E96C6 :D 2 G:56@ @C :>286 E92E @7E6? 8@6D G:C2= 2?5 E96? 4@?E:?F6D E@ C6DFC7246[ 4C62E:?8 2 4J4=6 @7 EC2F>2[ p=6I2?56C D2:5]k^AmkAm|2?J G:4E:>D 364@>6 56AC6DD65 2?5 2?I:@FD[ 96 D2:5]k^Am kAm“%96J =:E6C2==J D9FE 5@H? 3642FD6 :E >2<6D :E 766= =:<6[ J@F <?@H[ E96C6’D ?@ H2J E96J 42? 6G6? AC@G6 E92E E9:D :D ?@E C62= — 3642FD6 :E 5@6D =@@< `__T C62=[” 96 D2:5]k^Amk9am!2C6?E2= :?G@=G6>6?Ek^9am kAm!2C6?ED 42? 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C6DA@?D:3=6 D@4:2= >65:2 FD6 2?5 92D 96=A65 D49@@=D 56G6=@A A@=:4:6D] k^Am kAm$96 FD6D E96 24C@?J> $wxt{s 2D 2 C@25>2A 7@C 9@H E@ C6DA@?5] %96 “$” DE2?5D 7@C “DE@A” 2?5 5@?’E 7@CH2C5] “w” :D 7@C “9F55=6” H:E9 2 ECFDE65 25F=E] %96 “x” :D 7@C “:?7@C>” 2?J D@4:2= >65:2 A=2E7@C>D @? H9:49 E96 :>286 :D A@DE65] “t” :D 2 4F6 E@ 4@==64E “6G:56?46[” =:<6 H9@ :D DAC625:?8 E96 :>286[ 3FE ?@E E@ 5@H?=@25 2?JE9:?8] %96 “{” :D 7@C “=:>:E” D@4:2= >65:2 2446DD] %96 “s” :D 2 C6>:?56C E@ “5:C64E” G:4E:>D E@ 96=A]k^Am kAm“%96 724E E92E E92E 24C@?J> :D D:I DE6AD x E9:?< D9@HD E92E E9:D :DDF6 :D C62==J 4@>A=:42E65[” D96 D2:5]k^Am Wellness Seasonal affective disorder is more than feeling sad Janice Schreier Mayo Clinic News Network Education Without affirmative action, elite colleges are prioritizing economic diversity in admissions COLLIN BINKLEY AP Education Writer Education AI may be scoring your college essay. Welcome to the new era of admissions JOCELYN GECKER Associated Press 0 comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Kindergarten readiness varies widely by income, new data shows. Cities stepping in to help Immense disparities exist in whether parents across the country report their child as ready for kindergarten, new data from the National Surve… How artificial intelligence became real estate's new secret weapon From marketing to contracts, AI is changing how real estate professionals work. Watch Now: Related Video Unable to play video AP top stories April 19 AP top stories April 17 AP AP top stories April 17 The 10 safest cities in the United States The 10 safest cities in the United States Chief Davis explains events that transpired in murder-suicide involving Justin Fairfax and Cerina Fairfax Chief Davis explains events that transpired in murder-suicide involving Justin Fairfax and Cerina Fairfax
Education The Education Department is dismantling. Here's what that means COLLIN BINKLEY and ANNIE MA Associated Press
Wellness Seasonal affective disorder is more than feeling sad Janice Schreier Mayo Clinic News Network
Education Without affirmative action, elite colleges are prioritizing economic diversity in admissions COLLIN BINKLEY AP Education Writer
Education AI may be scoring your college essay. Welcome to the new era of admissions JOCELYN GECKER Associated Press
Kindergarten readiness varies widely by income, new data shows. Cities stepping in to help Immense disparities exist in whether parents across the country report their child as ready for kindergarten, new data from the National Surve…
How artificial intelligence became real estate's new secret weapon From marketing to contracts, AI is changing how real estate professionals work.
Chief Davis explains events that transpired in murder-suicide involving Justin Fairfax and Cerina Fairfax
Chief Davis explains events that transpired in murder-suicide involving Justin Fairfax and Cerina Fairfax
