New Delhi: Parents and families are not adequately prepared to identify or respond to deepfakes and other AI-enabled online harms, particularly technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV), a study by Goa Institute of Management (GIM) and Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE), Pune, has found.Funded by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), the study analysed 40 in-depth interviews with parents, young adults, educators, content creators, elderly citizens and other stakeholders across urban, semi-urban and rural areas of Pune.
The researchers found that while most participants had heard of deepfakes and AI-enabled harms, few knew how to identify manipulated content or respond to such incidents. Awareness was higher among urban and educated parents, while rural, older and first-generation internet users had relatively limited access to digital safety knowledge and institutional support.
The study also found that participants were more familiar with AI-enabled financial fraud, such as voice cloning and OTP scams, than with technology-facilitated gender-based violence involving deepfakes and image manipulation.
The researchers suggested using awareness of financial fraud as an entry point to build broader understanding of AI-enabled abuse.
Intergenerational digital gap
The study identified a significant digital knowledge gap between generations, with children and younger adults generally having greater familiarity with digital technologies than their parents.
Researchers also found that parental restrictions on online activities can sometimes discourage children from reporting incidents because they may fear punishment or further restrictions.
The study highlighted additional risks faced by girls and women, including victim blaming, excessive surveillance and greater restrictions on digital activities. Digital content creators were also identified as vulnerable to trolling, reputation attacks and image misuse.
“Parents are expected to be the first line of digital defence, but children are increasingly becoming the source of digital knowledge within families,” said Prof. Santosh Phad, Assistant Professor at GIPE.
He said rural and urban families face different digital-safety conditions, with rural families often relying on physical restrictions, community surveillance and traditional family authority, which may offer limited protection against less visible technology-facilitated harms.
Call for family-focused digital safety
Prof. Enu Anand, Assistant Professor, Centre for Social Sensitivity and Action, GIM, said generative AI has made it easier to create manipulated photographs and synthetic videos, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish between authentic and fabricated content.
“Safeguarding girls and women can no longer stop at platforms and law; it has to reach the home itself,” Anand said.
The researchers called for family-centred digital safety education that focuses not only on awareness but also on preparedness and the ability to act when online harms occur.
The study recommends strengthening AI and digital safety skills among parents so they can identify risks and support children before or when they encounter harmful content.
It also calls for policymakers and other stakeholders to prioritise digital safety interventions for children and young adults, particularly among communities with limited access to digital knowledge and support systems.
