With the majority of young people nowadays having access to social media and the internet from their younger teenage years or even tweens, it’s part of daily life for my generation to talk, share and joke about online videos or memes that almost seem like an inside joke to the rest of our world and older generations. We have grown up watching these videos evolve and improve right before our eyes as we continue to use these apps. We’ve seen apps change like vine to musically and now we know it as tiktok, and we have watched the same evolution with the quality of these videos. I’m sure we can all remember a few years ago, 2021/2022, when the first few versions of AI-generated videos they were grainy, low-quality clips of random celebrities doing day to day things like eating spaghetti or walking on a hill, But now it’s getting increasingly more obvious who the celebrities are and who the videos are impersonating. These videos might be easier to identify for Gen Z but I think anyone would agree with my worries and concerns for how difficult it would be for older generations and young children to identify.
The rise of artificial intelligence has made it possible to create videos that convincingly impersonate real people. On platforms like TikTok and YouTube, it’s now common to see AI-generated videos featuring celebrities such as Jake Paul, whose face, voice, and expressions are replicated with remarkable accuracy. At first glance, these videos might seem harmless or even entertaining. However, beneath their novelty lies a range of serious ethical and social issues that challenge ideas of privacy, consent, and truth in the digital age.
I can see this in so much of the media I see in front of children nowadays, now i’m not saying that all use of AI comes from malicious intent or even done knowing it is bad but I can see so many parents and grandparents using this technology for their children, whether it’s creating a birthday message video for their children as a surprise or I know from my own experience my uncle loves to create AI-generated photos of his grandchildren as fairies, princesses, knights and hang them up in frames in his house, and while they are adorable and the love he has for his grandchildren and wanting to create something lovely to have of them that they will also love is such a beautiful thing to see, I can’t help but worry about all of the other issues and misuses of AI in the world and the harm it is doing.
One of the most pressing concerns is consent. Celebrities have little control over how their images and voices are used in AI-generated content. Even though they live much of their lives in the public eye, using someone’s likeness without permission is still a violation of personal rights. This kind of impersonation not only misrepresents who they are but also undermines their ability to manage their own reputation and career. More worryingly, this technology can easily extend beyond celebrities to ordinary people, allowing anyone’s face or voice to be copied and manipulated. The potential for misuse, such as harassment, revenge, or identity theft is enormous.
Another major issue is misinformation. AI videos can make it appear as though someone said or did something that never happened. When such clips circulate widely on social media, they can shape opinions, influence behavior, and spread false narratives at incredible speed. Because these videos often look real, people may not think to question them. As a result, public trust in video evidence is beginning to crumble. This creates new dangers not only for entertainment and online culture but also for journalism, politics, and the justice system. On top of that being misrepresented by an AI version of yourself can be deeply distressing. Victims may experience anxiety, embarrassment, or even public backlash for actions they never took.
But what can you do about him or is there even anything that can be done? Well on a larger scale laws should be updated to protect people’s right to their own digital likeness, and platforms should clearly label AI-generated content so that audiences can make informed judgments. Education is also crucial—teaching people to question what they see and verify information before believing or sharing it. But in terms of Gen z I think we have a responsibility as the generation that has watched this change and evolve to warn or even inform our family members, neighbours and friends about the dangers or even just how to identify these videos and pictures and strive as a generation to instead promote real artists and humans that work in the creative industries and jobs that this technology is taking over.