I had the privilege of co-organizing and speaking at Workshop #70, “Combating Sexual Deepfakes: Safeguarding Teens Globally,” held during the Internet Governance Forum 2025 in Norway. This workshop was co-convened with Ji won Oh as a continuation of our earlier work exploring the governance of AI-generated content, particularly in the context of sexual deepfakes, as documented in our case study: Synthetic Lies, Real Consequences.
The motivation for this initiative stemmed from firsthand conversations with Korean peers who voiced concern over the rising prevalence of sexually exploitative deepfake content, especially targeting youth. These deeply personal exchanges inspired me to explore how different sectors: youth, technical community, private sector, and civil society, can respond more effectively.
During the workshop, I presented several key initiatives from South Korea that offer valuable models for other jurisdictions:
- The Korean Ministry of Education’s five-guidebook series supporting students, teachers, and guardians in navigating digital sexual violence.
- The Korean Ministry of Science and ICT’s investment in a publicly available deepfake detection dataset, KoDF.
- The Seoul Metropolitan Government’s development of an AI-powered reporting and takedown system for synthetic sexual content.
I shared these examples in the hope that they may inspire cross-border collaboration and inform national or local strategies in other countries confronting similar challenges.
To encourage open participation and multistakeholder input, I also leveraged my technical background and previous experience on the APrIGF Drafting Committee to design and host a public comment platform for the session. The platform received 21 thoughtful contributions, many of which added valuable nuance to our live discussion.
The workshop itself drew a highly engaged audience, with 14 questions submitted both in person and through the Zoom chat. The level of interest was overwhelming, and while time constraints meant we could not address every question during the session, the energy and interaction affirmed the importance and timeliness of this topic. Personally, I was grateful that our discussion goals, to surface regional examples and foster open exchange, were meaningfully achieved.
Beyond the workshop, I also engaged with the Dynamic Coalition on Children’s Rights in the Digital Environment (DC-CRIDE). During the coalition’s meeting, we exchanged ideas on how to sustain momentum between IGFs and keep child rights at the center of digital policy discourse year-round.
In parallel, I also had the opportunity to represent DotAsia Organisation at our exhibition booth. Interestingly, a large number of attendees showed keen interest in the DotKids initiative, and I was heartened by the conversations around potential collaborations. By the end of the IGF, I had distributed over half of my name cards, an encouraging sign of growing stakeholder interest in safe digital spaces for children.
These kinds of forums reinforce the value of global cooperation. I’m especially grateful to those who engaged with us before, during, and after the workshop. We have a shared responsibility to protect the next generation online, and I hope the innovations shared, can spark localized efforts elsewhere.
Please feel free to revisit our public comment portal or reach out directly if you’re working on similar issues. Let’s continue the dialogue, build bridges, and support one another in this important work.
By Yi Teng Au