As a teenager, I’m used to spending a lot of my time online, scrolling through social media, and watching videos. One day, my friend Sammy showed me a video of a capybara swimming in a pool, paddling like a human. Last year, I would have easily believed it. Now, I wasn’t so sure. The rise of AI-generated content is changing how we perceive everything we see online.

Misinformation is Everywhere

A new study by Common Sense Media reveals that teens are increasingly distrustful of the content they come across online. A significant number of teens (46%) admitted they’ve either been misled or suspected they were, while 54% have encountered misleading visual content. With AI tools making it easier to create fake images, it’s getting harder to tell what’s real and what’s not.

Credits: prairie care

The Struggle to Trust Online Media

Teens like me are finding it harder to trust what we see online. We’re often bombarded with images and videos that look real but are created by AI. After seeing too many fake historical photos and viral posts that turned out to be completely fabricated, I’ve learned to question everything. For me, now, seeing isn’t always believing.

Credits: NewYork times

Changing How We Communicate

Teens communicate a lot through images and videos. Memes, viral clips, and even “fun facts” are shared among friends daily. However, as AI-generated images flood social media, it’s tough to know if what I’m seeing is real or just another creation of a machine. This uncertainty is spreading beyond the internet, causing teens to question everything — even textbooks in school.

The Solution: Transparency in AI Content

What can be done to fix this growing mistrust? According to the study, 74% of teens want visible warnings on AI-generated content to show that it could be biased or misleading. They also support content being watermarked to show its true source. While this is a good first step, it still means we can’t trust what we see at first glance. We must now always question and evaluate before accepting something as truth.

Credits: today.com

Building Trust in an AI World

The increase in AI content is changing the way we trust the information around us. As we move forward, it’s crucial for us to continue questioning the media we consume. Whether it’s a capybara swimming like a human or a historical photo, the lines between what’s real and fake are becoming blurrier. If we don’t regain trust in what we see, how will we understand the world or build genuine connections with others? Mistrust shouldn’t become our default setting — we must learn to think critically and, hopefully, find a way to restore trust in what we encounter online.