Angry Ginge, who won I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in December, has created a video to help young fans identify AI-generated content and misinformation. The digital literacy initiative, produced with Internet Matters and Tesco Mobile, will be distributed in primary schools across the UK.
The 31-year-old, real name Morgan Burtwhistle, said he was the victim of a deepfake while in the jungle. 'Someone created a deepfake that convinced people I had a girlfriend and it spread across the news and social media,' he explained. 'It's scary to see how convincing technology can be.'
Ginge urged influencers to take responsibility, adding: 'With so many young followers, I feel that influencers have a responsibility to help kids understand what's real and what can be altered online.' The campaign coincides with a government consultation on children's online safety, which includes proposals for a social media ban for under-16s and restrictions on addictive design features.
Rachel Huggins, CEO of Internet Matters, said the rise of AI-generated content makes it harder for children to discern truth. 'This campaign brings parents, schools and industry together to give children the skills they need to question what they see,' she said.
Tesco Mobile is offering £200,000 in grants to primary schools for classroom technology and online safety training. Applications are open until May 3. The government consultation closes on May 26. Full details can be found at InternetMatters.org.
