YouTube influencer Angry Ginge wants to help school children spot AI generated content online after fake videos circulated about his love life while he was in the jungle
Jungle King Angry Ginge, who was crowned the winner of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in December, has made a video to teach young fans how to spot fake content online.
The video, which will be released in schools as part of a digital literacy drive by child online safety charity Internet Matters and Tesco Mobile, gives kids top tips on how to identify AI generated content and misinformation.
Ginge, whose real name is Morgan Burtwhistle, said he had been the victim of deepfake videos which made headlines while he was taking part in the ITV competition, adding; “When I was in the jungle, someone created a deepfake that convinced people I had a girlfriend and it spread across the news and social media.
“It’s scary to see how convincing technology can be and how you can get caught out if you don’t really question some of the key signs.”
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He said educating youngsters about how to spot the signs was something he had the platform and influence to do, adding: “With so many young followers, I feel that influencers have a responsibility to help kids understand what’s real and what can be altered online, as we’re a trusted voice to them.”
The video and digital literacy drive coincides with a government-led public consultation into online safety for children and young people, which includes proposals such as a social media ban for under 16s and legislation to prevent addictive design features like auto-play on video content.
Experts have used the consultation to call for better digital literacy in schools and funding to help teachers and parents support children to have safe online lives.
The consultation also asks for public feedback on AI chatbots and the issue of smartphones in schools.
Internet Matters was one of a number of child and online safety charities and groups which signed a letter to government calling for a nuanced approach rather than age-based social media bans due to concerns it would push children into darker corners of the internet.
Rachel Huggins, Internet Matters CEO, said young people needed support in navigating a complex online landscape, adding that the joint campaign with Tesco Mobile would assist in helping teachers and families by providing practical guidance.
She said: “The rise of AI-generated content online is making it harder for young people to tell what’s real and what isn’t. This campaign brings parents, schools and industry together to give children the skills they need to question what they see and think critically about online information.”
As part of the initiative, Tesco Mobile is also making £200,000 worth of grants available to primary schools across the UK, helping them invest in classroom technology, resources and training that supports online safety education.
Search Tesco Mobile’s School and Online Safety Grant to find more details about the fund. Applications and nominations are open until Sunday May 3.
Search ‘Growing up in an online world’ to find the government consultation and take part. The consultation closes on May 26. For more support with the issues raised visit InternetMatters.org