You have already practised spotting when a picture, clip or recording has been changed. Today's question is harder. Can we still tell when something was never filmed, photographed or recorded in the real world at all?
You will learn about deepfakes and synthetic media, which means pictures, sound or video made by a computer. Then the class will vote on items as "real", "likely synthetic" or "cannot tell", and talk about what this means for news, evidence and trust.
Synthetic media is pictures, sound or video made fully or partly by a computer, not recorded from real life. A deepfake is media made or changed by AI so that a real person seems to say or do something they never did.
There are three answers you can choose from:
- Real: recorded from real life, with small natural flaws and a source you can check.
- Likely synthetic: strong signs that a computer made or changed it.
- Cannot tell: not enough evidence in what you can see or hear.
A sharp, clear picture does not prove something is real. Sometimes "cannot tell" is the right answer.
This is a class vote challenge. Start with Item 1 in the activity below. Look at it closely with a partner and talk about what you notice. Then the class agrees on one answer, "real", "likely synthetic" or "cannot tell", so be ready to say why. After the class has decided, the reasoning is shown. The reasons matter more than a score.
In the next step, everyone votes on every item on their own device. Item 1 comes first again so that everyone gets their own vote. Be ready to say which detail helped you most. If you chose "cannot tell", be ready to say why there was not enough evidence to decide.
Real, likely synthetic, or cannot tell?
Now everyone votes on every item on their own device. Round 1 is the item you just worked through together.
There is no score and no time limit. When the class has voted, the board shows how the class split, and then it shows the reasoning. After the discussion, your teacher can open the vote again to see who changed their mind.
- Read the item and choose your answer.
- When the reasoning comes up, compare it with the reason you gave.
Being able to say why matters more than getting it right, because the reasons are what you are here to learn.
Class Poll
Talk about this open question with a partner first, and then as a class. There is no single right answer that the lesson wants you to reach.
When any picture, voice or video could be fake, what changes for evidence, and for trust between people?
Below are two short made-up situations to help you think. For each one, name one risk and one habit that would help. Be ready to share one sentence with the class.
1. Evidence: A voice note appears in a club group chat. In it, a committee member seems to admit misusing bake-sale money, but they say they never said it. What would make the clip stronger or weaker as evidence?
2. Trust: A sports star you follow posts a heartfelt apology video. Some comments say "finally" and others say "this is fake". What goes wrong if you are suspicious of everything, and what goes wrong if you trust everything without checking?
Before you finish, check that:
- you and your partner have one risk and one helpful habit for both situations, or at least for the Evidence one if time is short
- you can give your view in one clear sentence, even if not everyone agrees
- you can say when "cannot tell yet" is the responsible answer
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