[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
How many times have you used a beauty filter? Adjusted the lighting for the perfect snapshot? Uploaded a picture into the ether to see exactly what you\u2019d have looked like in the 80s (even if you\u2019d already been there once)? OK – perhaps the final example was a one-time<\/em> thing, but part of today\u2019s online experience is being able to carefully stage and edit reality, showing a curated version of what we look like, what our interests are, and what makes us the person we are.<\/p>\n An AI-powered internet has really shown that there\u2019s no limit to what we can create. For young people and adults alike, our digital counterparts have become so normalized as we interact with others online. This alternate reality, combined with the anonymity and freedom from responsibility the internet offers, has also made it much easier for someone else to make their own version of anyone they want<\/strong> – a celebrity, the local mayor, your family members\u2026 or your child. Let\u2019s take a look at what online copycats can look like for children, and what families can do about them.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n If we look at impersonation through the lens of cyberbullying, for kids and teens, this kind of online behavior is more likely to come from someone a child already knows<\/a><\/strong>: a classmate, a former friend, someone they know on their sports team, or from school. But for copycats, a separate trend is also emerging – where strangers use fake identities to build trust with children. Strangers might choose to impersonate others for different reasons: getting money, images, or personal information from children.<\/p>\n When impersonation comes from someone who knows the child, it\u2019s often more likely that they want to cause embarrassment and get a strong emotional reaction. In cases like this, children can feel humiliated, and it can impact the trust they have with friends or new people they meet. In more serious cases of impersonation, such as a stranger using a fake profile to pressure a child for money or further images (such as in patterns of sextortion), children can feel trapped and helpless.<\/p>\n Cyberbullying of all kinds tends to be more frequent among older children, but we do know that a small percentage of kids as young as 8<\/a> may also experience having fake profiles being used to target or scare them. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to start conversations about privacy and sharing early – and that children know who and where they can immediately turn to talk about an incident like this.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Impersonation can come in different forms, so it\u2019s important that parents understand the different ways copycats can build an online version of a child:<\/p>\n Not every kind of fake account is built with malicious intent. In fact, teens sometimes create multiple accounts of their own, known as \u201cFinstas\u201d (\u201cfake Instagram\u201d) to express different sides of their personality or interact with people from different social circles. <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Instagram is often the most popular choice for creating fake accounts, simply because it\u2019s so heavily tied to personal identity and self-expression. However, impersonation accounts can also easily be created on other popular platforms where teens hang out and spend time, such as TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube.<\/p>\n Generative AI has made it easier to create fake accounts<\/strong>, convincing fake images, videos, and audio, especially because this doesn\u2019t require any real skill to produce anymore. Even more harmful uses, such as deepfake image generation, are simply a quick Google search away – easily used by, or against, children. A recent Thorn report on deepfake nudes<\/a> found that 1 in 3 teens had heard of the term \u201cdeepfake nudes\u201d and that 1 in 8 knew someone personally who had been targeted by one. <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/static.qustodio.com\/public-site\/uploads\/2026\/09\/28155135\/2026-07-Blog-Online-copycats-what-to-do-if-someone-impersonates-your-child_Inside-Image.png” alt=”young boy looking down at phone with upset expression on his face” title_text=”2026-07-%91Blog%93-Online-copycats-what-to-do-if-someone-impersonates-your-child_Inside-Image” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Fake profiles and copycat attempts are easier to pull off the more someone shares about themselves online, and they\u2019re even easier when the person creating the impersonation profile or image already knows the child. Some common reasons behind fake profiles include:<\/p>\n The growing practice of \u201csextortion<\/a>\u201d is a related risk, where impersonation videos or deepfakes are used as leverage for money, or requesting further (often explicit) images. Generative AI, teamed with teens being more accessible and available online, has made it easier for perpetrators to contact victims and manipulate young people in this way.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Children often find it difficult to talk about impersonation, especially if it involves personal information or images they shared. Firstly, it\u2019s important that they know they\u2019re not in trouble, and that you\u2019re there to support them – any discussion about what led to the situation can come later.<\/p>\n Beyond this, the steps to tackle impersonation accounts and generated media include:<\/p>\n Aside from reacting in the moment, having regular conversations about signs to look for, protecting personal data online, and questioning any stranger being overly friendly or flattering online are important practices your family can build into everyday digital habits. <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n The 2 most important steps a child can take here are reporting any image or video to the platform it was shared or posted on, and telling a trusted adult immediately.<\/p>\n If the incident involves nude or sexual imagery, your child will likely need more support in the aftermath than you might expect. Because content like this can look so real, victims of these incidents report lasting anxiety<\/a> and a harder time trusting the people around them. Recovering from an incident like this may be a long process<\/strong> and will require lots of patience and compassion.<\/p>\nHow does online impersonation affect children?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
What can online impersonation look like?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Where does impersonation usually happen?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Why might someone decide to impersonate my child online?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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What can my child do if someone\u2019s impersonating them online?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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What can my child do if someone sends them a deepfake image or video?<\/strong><\/h2>\n