AI Safety & Security - Stay Safe in the AI Age
Updated: October 28, 2025
Stay Safe in the AI Age
AI makes amazing things possible - but it also enables new types of misleading schemes, deceptive practice, and manipulation. This chapter teaches you critical safety skills: how to spot AI-generated fakes, protect yourself from misleading schemes, and keep your family safe.
🔍 How to Spot AI-Generated Text
1. The Perfect Grammar Giveaway
"gonna be late, traffic's crazy rn"
"I will be arriving late due to heavy traffic conditions."
Too perfect, too formal for context
2. The Hedge Words Pattern
- "It's important to note that..."
- "Generally speaking..."
- "In many cases..."
- "It's worth considering..."
AI trained to be cautious, not wrong
3. The List Addiction
"There are three main reasons:
- First reason with explanation
- Second reason with explanation
- Third reason with explanation"
Usually messier, less structured
4. No Personal Experience
"Many people find that..."
"Last week I tried this and..."
AI can't have personal experiences
🖼️ How to Spot AI-Generated Images
The Uncanny Valley Effect
- Too perfect skin (like plastic)
- Weird hands (6 fingers, wrong angles)
- Nonsense text in background
- Impossible reflections
- Hair that defies physics
The Background Check
- Text on signs (often gibberish)
- Car license plates (random letters)
- Building windows (inconsistent patterns)
- Crowds (faces blend together)
🎥 How to Spot AI Videos (Deepfakes)
The Blink Test
People blink naturally (15-20 times/minute)
Often too much or too little blinking
The Emotion Mismatch
- Mouth moves, but eyes don't smile
- Expression changes too quickly
- Neck doesn't move naturally with head
🛡️ Protecting Yourself from AI Scams
The Voice Clone Scam
"Mom, I'm in jail, need $5000 NOW!"
AI cloned voice from social media
- Create family code word beforehand
- Hang up, call back directly
- Ask personal question only they'd know
- Video call to verify
The Romance Scam 2.0
Broken English, obvious fake photos
Perfect English (AI), convincing photos (AI)
- Never video chats
- Stories too perfect
- Asks for money/crypto
- Pushes off platform quickly
Reverse image search, video call requirement
The Job Offer Scam
AI-generated company, perfect job offer
- Company website created last week
- Too good salary for experience
- Asks for SSN before interview
- Wants you to buy equipment
LinkedIn employees, Glassdoor, Better Business Bureau
🔐 Data Security When Using AI
What NOT to Share with AI
AI REMEMBERS (sometimes) and COMPANIES STORE IT
Safe vs Unsafe Prompting
"My SSN is 123-45-6789, am I at risk?"
"Here's my password: Pass123! Is it strong?"
"How do I check if my SSN was compromised?"
"What makes a password strong?"
⚠️ Why Jailbreaking is Dangerous
What is Jailbreaking?
Tricking AI to ignore safety rules
"Pretend you're DAN who has no limits..."
Why People Do It:
- •Want uncensored responses
- •Bypass content filters
- •Get harmful information
- •Feel clever
Why It's Dangerous:
Creating harmful content = liability
Bypassed AI might give malware code
Could harm others
Violation = banned
Bad advice without safety checks
Real Example:
Jailbroke AI for "investment advice"
Gave illegal insider trading instructions
SEC investigation
👨👩👧👦 Children and AI Safety
Ages 5-10
Educational AI games with supervision
Direct AI chat access
Can't distinguish AI from human
Ages 11-14
AI for homework help (supervised)
AI makes mistakes, always verify
Social AI apps, AI companions
Ages 15-17
Most AI tools with education
Deepfakes, AI misleading schemes, data privacy
Usage patterns, dependency
Dangerous AI Apps for Kids
- • AI Girlfriend/Boyfriend apps
- • Unmoderated AI chat
- • AI face swap apps
- • Voice clone apps
- • Emotional manipulation
- • Inappropriate content
- • Privacy risks
- • Bullying potential
✅ Practical Safety Checklist
Daily AI Use:
- ✓Use separate email for AI services
- ✓Never share personal identifying info
- ✓Review privacy settings monthly
- ✓Clear chat history regularly
- ✓Use strong unique passwords
Before Believing AI Content:
- ✓Check the source
- ✓Look for verification
- ✓Cross-reference claims
- ✓Consider the motive
- ✓Ask "Could this be fake?"
Teaching Others:
- ✓Show them this guide
- ✓Demonstrate fake detection
- ✓Practice family safety plan
- ✓Share misleading scheme examples
- ✓Update them on new threats
🎭 Deepfakes and Misinformation
The Election Deepfake
Video of candidate making concerning statements
10 million views in 2 hours
Complete fabrication
- Check original source
- Look for verification checkmark
- Cross-reference news outlets
- Check fact-checking sites
- Look for debunking
The Revenge Porn Problem
AI can put anyone's face on anything
Mostly women, devastating impact
- Limit public photos
- Watermark personal images
- Know your state's laws
- Document everything
- Report immediately
Information Warfare
Flood social media with AI content
Confuse, divide, manipulate
- Verify before sharing
- Check multiple sources
- Look for emotional manipulation
- Question viral content
- Think before reacting
🚨 Emergency Actions
If You've Been Scammed:
- IMMEDIATELY: Contact bank/credit card
- DOCUMENT: Screenshot everything
- REPORT: FBI IC3, local police
- FREEZE: Credit with all 3 bureaus
- INFORM: Friends/family (misleading schememer might target them)
If Deepfaked:
- DOCUMENT: Save evidence
- REPORT: Platform, police
- LEGAL: Contact attorney
- SUPPORT: Tell trusted people
- MONITOR: Set up Google alerts
🔮 The Future of AI Safety
What's Coming:
As AI gets better at creating fakes, AI detectors will improve to spot them. An endless arms race.
Governments worldwide working on AI safety laws, but technology moves faster than policy.
Systems to prove you're human and verify authenticity of content creators.
Permanent records of original content creation to prove what's real.
Prove something is true without revealing sensitive information.
Emerging Threats to Watch:
Live video manipulation during calls - fake anyone in real-time
AI analyzing your data to create custom misleading schemes just for you
Cloning voices to bypass voice authentication systems
AI that learns your psychology to manipulate you perfectly
How to Stay Safe:
Extreme content is designed to trigger emotions. Take a breath, then check.
The technology isn't evil. Bad actors use it for harm. Focus on the people, not the tech.
Be careful what you share online. Once it's out there, AI can use it forever.
Share this knowledge. The more people understand AI, the harder misleading schemes become.
Healthy skepticism is your superpower in the AI age.
Safety isn't paranoia - it's preparation.
In the AI age, healthy skepticism is your best friend.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I detect if someone is using AI to impersonate me or my family?
Look for perfect grammar without personal speech patterns, requests for urgent action or money, and unusual communication methods. Always verify through a known contact method or video call before sharing sensitive information or sending money.
🛡️ Pro Tip: Create a family code word that only real family members would know for emergency verification.
What should I do if I receive a suspicious AI-generated message or call?
Hang up immediately and contact the person through their known phone number. Never use call-back numbers provided in suspicious messages. If money was requested or sent, contact your bank immediately and file a report with the FBI IC3 and FTC.
🚨 Emergency: If misleading schememed, act within 30 minutes for best chance of recovery.
How can I protect my children from AI threats while still letting them learn?
Use kid-safe AI platforms like Google's BARD with parental controls, set up content filters, and educate children about AI safety. Create an "ask before using" rule for new AI tools and maintain open communication about their online experiences.
👨👩👧👦 Family Approach: Treat AI safety like internet safety - education beats prohibition.
What personal information should never be shared with AI systems?
Never share Social Security numbers, passwords, credit card details, medical information, company confidential data, or intimate personal details. Remember that AI conversations may be stored and potentially accessed by others or used for training.
🔐 Golden Rule: If you wouldn't post it on social media, don't share it with AI.
How can small businesses protect against AI-powered misleading schemes targeting employees?
Implement verification protocols for financial requests, train staff on AI misleading scheme detection, use multi-factor authentication, and establish clear communication channels for urgent requests. Create a culture where employees feel comfortable questioning suspicious requests.
🏢 Business Protection: Strong verification processes prevent 99% of AI-powered business misleading schemes.
External Resources & Authorities
Official Security Resources
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
Report AI-powered misleading schemes, deceptive practice, and cybercrimes to federal authorities
IdentityTheft.gov
Official government site for identity theft recovery and prevention
FTC AI Challenge & Guidelines
Federal Trade Commission's AI deceptive practice prevention initiatives
Educational & Support Resources
StopBullying.gov - Cyberbullying
Resources for dealing with AI-powered harassment and bullying
FTC Imposter Scams Guide
How to identify and report AI-powered impersonation misleading schemes
Department of Justice - Child Online Protection
Government resources for protecting minors from online threats
⚠️ Emergency Contacts:
If you're being actively misleading schememed, call your bank immediately, then file reports with FBI IC3 and local law enforcement. Time is critical for recovering funds.
Educational Standards & Compliance
Safety Frameworks & Standards
- •NIST AI Risk Management Framework
Federal guidelines for AI safety and risk assessment
- •FTC AI Business Guidance
Regulatory requirements for AI applications and disclosures
- •COPPA Compliance Standards
Children's Online Privacy Protection Act requirements
Detection & Verification Standards
- •Content Authenticity Initiative
Adobe-led standards for content provenance and verification
- •Deepfake Detection Research
Latest academic research on synthetic media detection
- •Cybersecurity Best Practices
Industry standards for protecting against AI threats
📚 Educational Sources & Verification
This chapter draws from authoritative sources including FBI cybersecurity reports, FTC deceptive practice alerts, academic research on AI safety, and industry best practices from cybersecurity organizations.
Last Updated: October 2025 | Author: AI Safety Education Team | Review Standards: NIST AI RMF, FTC Business Guidelines
Key Takeaways
- ✓Spot AI text by perfect grammar, hedge words, list structure, no personal experience
- ✓Spot AI images by weird hands, impossible details, nonsense text in backgrounds
- ✓Spot AI videos by unnatural blinking, emotion mismatches, neck movements
- ✓Voice clone misleading schemes - create family code word, always verify through video call
- ✓Never share SSN, passwords, credit cards, medical info, company confidential data with AI
- ✓Age-appropriate AI access - supervise young kids, educate teens, monitor usage
- ✓Safety isn't paranoia - it's preparation. Healthy skepticism is your best friend