This is happening right now. AI tools are being used to create fake nude images of children, using photos from their Instagram, TikTok, and school websites. Your child does not need to send a single inappropriate photo to become a victim.
Bethany Markowski was 11 years old when she disappeared on March 4, 2001. Her mother Jonnie has spent 25 years fighting for answers, and fighting to protect other families from what hers experienced.
When we started The Bethany Markowski Foundation, our focus was on missing children. But protecting children today means understanding every threat they face. And right now, one of the most serious threats is something most parents have never heard of: AI-generated deepfakes.
This guide will explain what they are, what’s happening in Tennessee, what the law says, and exactly what you can do to protect your child. We wrote it in plain language with no tech jargon because every Tennessee parent deserves to understand this.
What Is an AI Deepfake and Why Should Parents Care?
A deepfake is a fake photo or video made by artificial intelligence (AI). The AI takes a real image of a real person and changes it, sometimes to put their face on someone else’s body, and sometimes to make it look like they have no clothes on.
Until recently, creating a deepfake required expensive software and a lot of technical skill. That’s no longer true. Today, anyone can go to certain websites and apps, upload a photo of a person, and the AI will create a fake nude image in seconds. Many of these tools are free.
This means a photo your child posted on Instagram, just a normal photo at a birthday party or at school, can be turned into something deeply harmful without them ever knowing.
Why kids are especially vulnerable: Children and teens post photos publicly all the time. Predators use school websites, social media, and yearbook photos to find images of their targets. Your child doesn’t have to do anything wrong to become a victim.
What Happened With Grok AI and Why Tennessee Teens Are Suing
In late December 2025, an AI tool called Grok, owned by Elon Musk’s company xAI, became the center of a major scandal. Users discovered they could ask Grok to create sexualized images of women and girls just by uploading a normal photo.
How bad did it get? Researchers found that within just 11 days, Grok generated an estimated 3 million sexualized images. Among those, analysis found tens of thousands appeared to depict children.
The scandal triggered investigations in more than a dozen countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, Ireland, France, India, Indonesia, and more. The EU could fine Musk’s company up to 6% of its global revenue. Ireland opened 244 individual investigations into child abuse images created by the tool. France raided X’s Paris offices.
Tennessee connection: In March 2026, three Tennessee high school students filed a class-action lawsuit against xAI. A person gathered their images from school events, yearbooks, and social media, then used an app powered by Grok’s technology to create sexually explicit deepfake images and videos. Those images were shared on Telegram and Discord with the girls’ real names and school names attached.
When Elon Musk was asked about it, he called the reports false and posted laughing emojis. xAI’s official response to media inquiries was: “Legacy Media Lies.”
This is not a far-away problem. This happened to Tennessee teenagers. It can happen to yours.
How Big Is This Problem? The Numbers Tennessee Parents Should Know
| Source | Statistic | What It Means |
| Internet Watch Foundation (2026) | AI-generated child abuse videos surged 26,000% in 2025 | From just 13 videos in 2024 to 3,443 in 2025 — and 65% show the most extreme content |
| Thorn Research (2025) | 1 in 8 teens knows someone targeted by deepfake nudes | Among actual victims, only 34% told a parent — even though 62% said they would |
| Thorn Research (2025) | 1 in 17 teens reported being a direct victim | That’s approximately 6% of all teenagers in the US |
| FBI (2025) | Nearly 55,000 sextortion reports filed in 2024 | Financial sextortion — using real or fake images to demand money — up 59% over 2023 |
| NCMEC (2025) | 100 financial sextortion reports per day | Victims are primarily males ages 14–17; some as young as 7 |
| NBC News investigation | 36 American teenagers have died by suicide after sextortion since 2021 | In one case, only 27 minutes passed from first contact to the teen’s death |
These numbers are real. They represent real children with some of them in Tennessee.
How Predators Use AI to Target Children: Step by Step
Understanding how this works can help you protect your child. Here is what investigators have found:
Step 1: They gather photos from public sources
Predators collect photos from Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, school websites, sports team pages, and even yearbook photos. They look for clear images of a child’s face.
Step 2: They use AI to create fake images
They upload those photos into free AI tools or apps. Within seconds, the tool generates a realistic-looking fake nude image. The child in the image is not real, but it looks real. And it shows a real person’s face.
Step 3: They use the images to threaten or exploit
This is where it becomes sextortion. The predator contacts the child, often pretending to be a peer on Snapchat, Instagram, or Discord, and says:
“I have these images. If you don’t send me money / more photos / sexual videos, I’ll send them to everyone you know.”
Many teens pay. Many comply with further demands. Many are too ashamed to tell a parent. Some have taken their own lives.
The AI difference: Sextortion used to require the child to first share a real photo. AI has completely removed that requirement. A predator now only needs a single public photo of your child, one you both might consider completely harmless, to begin this process.
Real Cases That Changed Everything
These cases are hard to read. But they are real, and Tennessee parents need to know about them.
Jordan DeMay, 17 — Marquette, Michigan
In March 2022, Jordan was contacted on Instagram by someone posing as a girl. Within hours, the predator claimed to have compromising images and demanded money. When Jordan said he would take his own life, they responded: “Good.” Jordan died that same night. Two Nigerian men were each sentenced to 17.5 years in federal prison.
Elijah Heacock, 16 — Kentucky
In February 2025, Elijah received threatening texts demanding $3,000 — to suppress an AI-generated nude image of him created without his knowledge. He died by suicide. His parents said there were no warning signs. This is one of the first documented cases where a teen died after sextortion using a fully AI-created fake image.
Three Tennessee Teenagers — 2025–2026
A predator used images from yearbooks and social media to create deepfake explicit images of at least 18 girls at one Tennessee school. The images were distributed on Telegram and Discord with real names and schools attached. Three of the victims — including at least two who were minors at the time — are now part of a federal lawsuit against xAI.
If your child has been victimized: Please see the reporting section below. NCMEC has a free, confidential tool called Take It Down that can remove images from platforms without anyone ever seeing them. You can also call TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND. Your child is not in trouble. This is not their fault.
What Tennessee Law Says and What’s Changing
Tennessee has been one of the most active states in the country when it comes to protecting children from AI-related harm. Here is what you need to know:
Tennessee Protecting Children from Social Media Act (effective January 1, 2025)
Tennessee passed a law requiring social media companies to verify the age of every user. If your child is under 18, the company must get verified parental consent before allowing them to create or keep an account. Companies can be fined up to $1,000 per violation.
This law is currently surviving legal challenges and courts have allowed it to stay in effect while lawsuits play out. Tennessee is one of the only states where this kind of law has not been blocked.
Tennessee ELVIS Act (effective July 1, 2024)
Tennessee was the first state in the country to pass a law protecting people from AI voice cloning. The law makes it illegal to use AI to recreate someone’s voice without permission. It also protects against unauthorized use of a person’s name, photo, or likeness. Creating a deepfake of your child without consent could be a crime under this law.
Tennessee SB 2225 — Passed the Senate 32-0 on March 2, 2026
Just two days before our Tennessee Missing Children’s Day event, the Tennessee Senate passed this bill unanimously. It requires child protective teams investigating human trafficking and exploitation cases to include specialists from organizations that specifically work on the commercial sexual exploitation of minors. As AI-generated exploitation material becomes more common in trafficking cases, this kind of specialized involvement matters.
Tennessee deepfakes civil liability law (effective July 1, 2025)
People who are targeted by AI deepfakes showing them in sexual situations can now sue the person who created them in civil court. This applies to minors.
New bill moving through the Tennessee legislature in 2026
A new bill (HB 1898 / SB 2171) would require large AI companies to create and publish public child safety plans explaining how they protect children from harm. A recent poll found 94% of Tennessee voters support this requirement. The bill is moving through committees now.
The TAKE IT DOWN Act — Federal Law That Directly Protects Your Child
On May 19, 2025, President Trump signed the TAKE IT DOWN Act into law. This is the most important new federal protection for children against AI deepfakes.
What it does
It makes it a federal crime to publish nonconsensual intimate images, including AI-generated deepfakes, of any person. It also makes it a federal crime to threaten to publish them.
Penalties
For images of minors, the penalty is up to 3 years in federal prison. For threatening to publish images of minors, up to 30 months. These are in addition to any state charges.
Platform removal requirement — active May 19, 2026
Starting May 19, 2026, platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Discord, and others must set up a clear process for removing nonconsensual intimate images. Once they receive a valid request, they have 48 hours to take the image down.
How to use it
- Gather evidence — screenshots of the image, URLs, usernames.
- Submit a written removal request directly to the platform.
- For minors: use NCMEC’s Take It Down program at takeitdown.ncmec.org — it creates a digital fingerprint of the image so platforms can find and remove it without anyone ever seeing it.
- Report the crime to local law enforcement and the FBI at ic3.gov.
What the Apps Are (and Aren’t) Doing
Here is an honest look at what the major platforms your child uses are doing about this problem and where they are falling short.
Instagram / Meta
Meta rolled out Teen Accounts in late 2024. Teens under 16 are automatically placed in a private account and need parental permission to change settings, go Live, or make their account public. There is also a Nudity Protection feature in DMs that blurs potential nude images before your child sees them.
However: fewer than 1 in 10 teens on Instagram have parental supervision turned on. In August 2025, leaked documents revealed Meta’s own AI chatbots had inappropriate exchanges with children. In March 2026, a jury found Meta liable for endangering children and imposed a $375 million penalty.
Snapchat
Snapchat has a Family Center where parents can see who their child talks to and control their settings. The My AI chatbot can be disabled through Family Center. But researchers found that Snapchat’s AI safety filters could easily be bypassed. The Florida Attorney General sued Snap in April 2025.
TikTok
TikTok offers Family Pairing, which allows parents to control screen time, restrict DMs, and enable filtered content. The company removed over 51,000 synthetic media videos in the second half of 2025. But internal TikTok documents show families rarely use parental controls.
Discord
Discord has a Teen Safety Assist feature turned on by default for teens. It sends safety warnings when someone new sends them a direct message. It also has content filters. But Discord has been on the National Center on Sexual Exploitation’s list of most dangerous platforms for four years in a row.
The bottom line: No platform is fully protecting your child. The tools exist, but they only work if parents enable them, and even then, researchers have found ways around most of them. Technical controls are not a substitute for ongoing conversations with your kids.
Privacy Settings Every Tennessee Parent Should Turn On Right Now
- Go to your child’s profile → Settings → Account → Set to Private
- Enable Parental Supervision: your account → Settings → Family Center → Add Teen
- Nudity Protection in DMs: Settings → Messages → Nudity Protection → On
- Teens under 16 need your approval to change privacy settings
Snapchat
- Set up Family Center: Snapchat → Profile → Family Center → Invite your teen
- In Family Center: disable My AI chatbot, set contact settings to “Friends Only”
- Check Ghost Mode in Snap Map to hide your child’s location
TikTok
- Set up Family Pairing: Profile → Settings → Digital Wellbeing → Family Pairing
- Turn off Direct Messages or limit to Friends only
- Enable Restricted Mode and set a 4-digit passcode
Discord
- Settings → Privacy & Safety → Explicit Media Content Filter → On
- Settings → Privacy & Safety → Safe Direct Messaging → On
- Verify your child’s account shows their correct age
- Enable Teen Safety Assist if not already on by default
How to Talk to Your Child About Deepfakes By Age
Many parents avoid this conversation because they don’t know how to start. Here is what child safety experts recommend:
Elementary school (ages 5–10)
Keep it simple. You don’t need to explain AI or deepfakes in detail. What you do need them to know:
- Their photos belong to them.
- If someone online makes them feel uncomfortable, they tell you immediately, and they will NOT be in trouble.
- Not everything they see online is real.
Middle school (ages 11–14)
This is the age group most at risk. Be direct:
- Explain that AI can take a normal photo and create a fake nude image from it. No sharing required on their part.
- Tell them that if someone contacts them with a threat or a fake image, they come to you immediately and do not pay or comply.
- Practice what to say: “If someone threatens you online, we will handle it together. I promise you will not be in trouble.”
- Discuss keeping social media accounts private and limiting who can see their photos.
High school (ages 14–18)
Have an honest, adult conversation:
- Explain sextortion clearly: predators can now create fake images from any photo and use them to demand money or more images.
- Be direct about financial sextortion targeting teen boys: it is happening to kids their age across Tennessee.
- Explain the law: creating or sharing deepfake nudes of a peer — even as a “joke” — is a federal crime.
- Tell them about NCMEC’s Take It Down tool so they know what to do if it ever happens.
The most important thing you can say:
“If anything like this ever happens to you, no matter what, come to me. I will not be angry at you. We will fix it together.”
Research shows children who believe they can tell a parent are far more likely to come forward before serious harm is done.
Warning Signs Your Child May Be Targeted
These are the behaviors that experts say often appear when a child is being exploited online:
- Suddenly becomes secretive about their phone or computer
- Switches screens or closes apps when you walk in
- Becomes anxious, withdrawn, or unusually emotional
- Starts avoiding their phone entirely (opposite of normal, and may mean they are afraid to see messages)
- Receives packages, gifts, or money from unknown sources
- Uses devices late at night or at unusual hours
- Mentions feeling like they “owe” someone something online
- References new online “friends” you have never heard of
- Shows signs of self-harm or expresses hopelessness
If you see any of these signs, open a calm, non-judgmental conversation. Do not take away their devices as a first response as that may cut off communication when you need it most.
If Your Child Has Been Targeted: What to Do Right Now
DO NOT PAY. Do NOT send more photos. Stop all contact with the perpetrator immediately.
Step 1: Stay calm and reassure your child
Tell them clearly: “This is not your fault. You are not in trouble. We are going to handle this together.”
Step 2: Preserve all evidence
Screenshot everything including the images, messages, threats, usernames, URLs, and timestamps. Do NOT delete anything. These are needed for law enforcement.
Step 3: Report to NCMEC Take It Down
If your child is under 18: go to takeitdown.ncmec.org. This free program creates a digital fingerprint of the image. Participating platforms can find and remove matching images without anyone ever seeing the image. It is completely confidential.
Step 4: Report to law enforcement
Contact local police and the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND. Ask for referral to the ICAC Task Force, which specializes in internet crimes against children. You can also file a report with the FBI at ic3.gov and DHS at 1-833-591-KNOW.
Step 5: Report on every platform where the image appeared
Use in-app reporting on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Discord, and any other platform. Use the TAKE IT DOWN Act 48-hour removal process if the platform has that available.
Step 6: Get support for your child
This is traumatic. Your child will need support. RAINN (1-800-656-4673) and Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741) can help. The Bethany Markowski Foundation can also connect you with resources in Tennessee — call us at (615) 784-3287.
Every Reporting Resource All in One Place
| Who to Contact | How | For |
| NCMEC CyberTipline | report.cybertip.org1-800-THE-LOST | Any online sexual exploitation of a child — including deepfakes |
| NCMEC Take It Down | takeitdown.ncmec.org | Removing deepfake/CSAM images of minors from platforms — no upload required |
| StopNCII.org | stopncii.org | Removing intimate images of adults (18+) from platforms |
| TBI Tip Line | 1-800-TBI-FIND TipsToTBI@tbi.tn.gov | Tennessee-specific child exploitation cases |
| FBI IC3 | ic3.gov | Financial sextortion, cybercrimes |
| DHS Know2Protect | 1-833-591-KNOW | Child exploitation and trafficking tips |
| Local police | 911 | Immediate danger; preserving local evidence |
| RAINN | 1-800-656-4673 | Crisis support for victims of sexual exploitation |
| Crisis Text Line | Text HOME to 741741 | Mental health crisis support — available 24/7 |
What You Can Do Today Before Anything Happens
- Audit your child’s social media accounts. Are they public? How many followers do they have? Are there photos that could be used to identify them or their school?
- Turn on all parental supervision tools listed in the privacy settings section above. Do it this week.
- Have the conversation. Use the age-appropriate scripts above. Make sure your child knows they can come to you.
- Set a family rule: no accepting follow requests from people you don’t know in real life. Private accounts only.
- Download NCMEC’s Take It Down page (takeitdown.ncmec.org) so you know where to go if you ever need it.
- Know your child’s digital life. Ask about the apps they use, who they talk to, and what platforms their friends are on. Stay curious, not interrogating.
How The Bethany Markowski Foundation Is Helping
Bethany Markowski disappeared in 2001, long before social media existed. But the threats children face today are ones her mother Jonnie has fought to understand, because protecting children is what this foundation does.
We are building two free programs for Tennessee families:
A handbook for Tennessee families of missing children — A practical guide for families in the first 24 hours after a child goes missing. Who to call. What your rights are. How to survive. Free to any family who needs it.
Free child safety online courses — Accessible education for parents, caregivers, and educators on online safety, warning signs, and what to do when something feels wrong. Free to anyone, anywhere.
Both programs cost families nothing. Both are funded entirely by donations. Your support makes them possible.
Help us build free resources for Tennessee families.
$25 → Helps print and distribute one Handbook chapter to a family in need
$50 → Helps support one month of online course hosting, free for every family
$100 → Helps ship a complete Handbook shipped to 10 families
$250 → Helps sponsor a free community child safety workshop
$500 → Funds one full online safety course module, built by our team, free forever
The Bottom Line for Tennessee Parents
AI deepfakes are not a future problem. They are a current threat. Tennessee teenagers are already being victimized. Three of them are now plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit. The TBI is making arrests. And federal law now gives you more rights than ever before to fight back.
But the most powerful protection you have is not an app, a law, or a parental control setting. It is the relationship you have with your child and whether they believe they can come to you without shame when something goes wrong online.
Build that. Have the conversation. Stay close.
And if you ever need us — we are here.
About The Bethany Markowski Foundation
The Bethany Markowski Foundation is a Tennessee 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN: 41-2321010) in Lebanon, TN, founded by Jonnie Carter in honor of her daughter Bethany Leanne Markowski (NCMEC #906662), who disappeared March 4, 2001 at age 11 in Jackson, Tennessee. We support families of missing children, provide free child safety education, and keep Bethany’s case in the public eye.
findbethany.org | (615) 784-3287 | team@findbethany.org | Donate: givebutter.com/gptnQ8
