Session
Organizer 2: Ji Won Oh, 🔒
Organizer 3: Kenneth Leung, Independent; (Affiliations: NetMission.Asia, Asia-Europe Foundation, Hong Kong Youth Internet Governance Forum / HKyIGF)
Speaker 2: Yi Teng Au, Technical Community, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 3: Janice Richardson, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 4: juliana cunha, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 5: Kenneth Leung, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Duration (minutes): 60
Format description: For us, we strongly feel the classroom format is best for onsite participants, and we are considering distributing printouts with placards for them to raise at parts of the slides while online participants react with emojis in the chat to garner insights from the audience, having a table would be beneficial. This is an initial plan, and the final session design may evolve based on feasibility and available resources. The layout, having them face the speakers, also allows speakers to quickly see audience reactions at a glance without turning around. We estimated the duration based on the following agenda and determined 60 minutes is most suitable: Welcome and Introductions (5min) Speaker Ji Won, Yi Teng - Youth & Technical Perspective (10min) Speaker Janice - Private Sector & Educational Policy Perspective (10min) Speaker Juliana - Regional & Child Safety Perspective (10min) Discussion with Audience (15min) Parting Words from Speakers (10min)
A. What legal and educational measures are most effective in addressing the creation and spread of sexual deepfakes among school-going teens? B. How can different stakeholders collaborate to ensure that school curricula incorporate digital literacy and awareness about the dangers of sexual deepfakes? C. What proactive policies can countries implement to anticipate technological changes and prevent sexual deepfake harms against teenagers globally?
What will participants gain from attending this session? Participants will gain a clearer understanding of how serious and widespread the issue of sexual deepfakes among teenagers has become in various parts of the world. They will also learn about the practical impact of different approaches and responses. This session is designed to inspire civil society to advocate for stronger legal protections, encourage the technical and private sectors to prioritize safety in their designs, and offer governments valuable insights into effective policy responses. We aim for attendees to leave with a sense of urgency and direction for contributing to child safety in the digital space.
Description:
Unlike other sessions that broadly address deepfakes, this workshop brings focused, multistakeholder attention to sexual deepfake crimes targeting teenagers. It explores both regional responses and the wider technical and policy challenges. In late 2024, a sharp rise in sexual deepfake incidents involving students in South Korea drew international concern. Similar cases soon surfaced in other countries, including Singapore. Civil society groups responded quickly, and some governments, such as the United Kingdom, introduced legal amendments. At the same time, Europe faces growing pressure to tighten regulations and enhance platform accountability, while Latin America has seen increased advocacy against digital gender-based violence, particularly toward minors. There is now an urgent need for engagement from the private sector and technical community, as well as from countries that have yet to encounter these cases, to proactively protect minors on a global scale. This session examines South Korea’s legal reforms, a 24/7 sexual deepfake hotline, and the integration of digital literacy in schools, presented through a youth lens. The discussion expands to Europe’s response, highlighting strategies for misinformation resilience, safety-by-design, and tech sector collaboration. Latin American experiences will showcase grassroots efforts and child-centered initiatives to tackle sexual deepfake exploitation. This session contributes to the subtheme of 'Building Digital Trust and Resilience' by focusing on child safety. In supporting SDGs 4, 5, and 16, it promotes education, gender equality, and child protection, while also aligning with the Global Digital Compact’s goals on digital trust, child safety online, and multistakeholder collaboration.
This workshop aims to inform legislative efforts worldwide by sharing insights from countries that have already acted to regulate and respond to sexual deepfake threats affecting children. We expect the outcomes to guide updates in national laws and help shape forward-looking policies in countries that have yet to face a significant surge in cases. Beyond legal reforms, the session advocates for educational integration, encouraging sexual deepfake awareness as a core topic in digital literacy and sexual education. It will highlight best practices, including South Korea’s youth-oriented education programs, Europe’s AI and misinformation initiatives, and Brazil’s child-focused consultations on AI misuse. The workshop will also stress the importance of platform accountability, explore the challenge of platform migration, and call for stronger action from the private sector in creating safer digital environments.
Hybrid Format: We will clearly remind all moderators, speakers, rapporteurs, and participants at the start of the workshop that the session includes both onsite and online attendees. Our moderator will actively manage inputs from both formats, alternating between onsite and online comments during discussions. To keep participants engaged, we will include interactive moments throughout the session. To minimize barriers to participation and ensure a smooth experience, the session will use only Zoom, without relying on additional external tools or platforms.