Unmasking Deepfakes: Safeguarding K-12 Education From Digital Deception Through Posthumanism

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 8:00 am Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Early Childhood, K-12 Education, and Postfoundational Thought (Table 4)

Abstract

Abstract: This paper employs a posthumanism lens to analyze the impact of deepfake technology within K12 educational settings. By reconceptualizing the relationship between humans and technology, the study explores how deepfakes act as active agents in the co-construction of social realities, challenging traditional notions of identity, authenticity, and ethical behavior. The analysis highlights how deepfakes exacerbate existing vulnerabilities, mainly focusing on issues related to cyberbullying, gender-based harassment, and the disruption of educational norms. The research advocates for holistic responses that integrate an understanding of the socio-technical systems involved. It calls for developing educational policies to better address the intertwined nature of technology and human identity in the digital age.
Keywords: Posthumanism; Deepfake Technology; Digital Literacy

Authors

• Adma Emanuelle Gama-Krummel, University of Rochester

• Simao Elias Luis, University of Rochester

• Md Mamunur Rashid, University of Rochester