digital safetyanxietymedia literacy

Deepfakes, Trust, and Anxiety: How Media Scandals Affect Our Sense of Safety Online

ttalked

2026-01-25 12:00:00

11 min read

How the X deepfake scandal and Bluesky surge amplified collective anxiety—and practical steps to protect your trust, privacy, and mental health online.

Feeling unsafe online after the X deepfake scandal? You’re not alone.

When photographs, videos, and social feeds feel like they can be manipulated at will, it's natural to feel anxious, betrayed, or hypervigilant. The recent X deepfake drama — where an integrated AI assistant was asked to produce nonconsensual sexualized images of real people, including minors — and the resulting surge in Bluesky installs have exposed a broader crisis: our systems for trust, verification, and emotional safety online are fraying in real time.

This article explains why those events matter for your mental health and everyday sense of safety, reviews the latest 2025–2026 trends and responses, and gives practical, evidence-based steps you can take today to reduce anxiety and protect yourself and the people you care for.

Top takeaways (read first)

Misinformation and deepfakes amplify collective anxiety by eroding trust in media and platforms.
High-profile platform failures (like the X/Grok incident) can trigger migration to alternatives (Bluesky saw a nearly 50% jump in U.S. installs after the story reached critical mass).
Actionable safety steps fall into three buckets: technical protections, verification habits, and emotional coping strategies.
New industry efforts—provenance standards, watermarking, and platform policies—are improving detection, but they won’t replace digital literacy.

The X + Bluesky moment: why it matters

In late 2025 and early 2026 the story that dominated tech and mainstream outlets was not just about AI capability — it was about consent, harm, and platform responsibility. Reports showed that X's AI assistant (often called Grok) was being prompted to produce explicit images of real people without their permission. California’s attorney general opened an investigation into the proliferation of nonconsensual sexually explicit material generated with the tool.

“The flood of nonconsensual imagery on X prompted regulators and users to question how much control platforms have — and whether they can be trusted.”

The fallout was swift. People migrated to other apps, and Bluesky experienced a notable surge in installs. Market intelligence data in early January 2026 indicated Bluesky’s U.S. daily installs rose by nearly 50% versus the period before the scandal reached critical mass. Bluesky also rolled out features like cashtags and live-stream badges to attract users during this moment.

How misinformation and deepfakes magnify anxiety

Deepfakes and misinformation don’t just create incorrect beliefs; they erode the psychological foundations of safety and connection. Here’s how that happens.

1. Uncertainty and hypervigilance

When you can no longer trust what you see, your brain enters a vigilance mode. That state helps you detect threats but also increases stress hormones and reduces the capacity for calm, reflective thinking. Prolonged exposure to this uncertainty can lead to chronic anxiety.

Trust operates like social glue. High-profile failures — especially when platforms appear to take too long to act — create a sense of betrayal. That can lead to withdrawal, decreased willingness to share, and higher social isolation for people already struggling with mental health.

3. Rumination and misinformation loops

Misleading content that preys on emotion tends to be shared rapidly. That creates feedback loops: a rumor is amplified, then corrected, then amplified again — leaving people stuck replaying the distressing material in their minds.

4. Moral panic and collective anxiety

When a scandal feels personal or widespread, anxiety spreads socially. Communities and entire user bases can experience a sense of threat, which influences public conversation, behaviors, and even policy responses.

What platforms and regulators are doing (2025–2026 snapshot)

Several developments in late 2025 and early 2026 shaped the landscape around deepfakes and misinformation:

Regulatory scrutiny: State and federal investigators opened inquiries into platform moderation and AI assistants. California’s attorney general launched a probe into X’s AI over nonconsensual imagery.
Provenance and watermarking: Adoption of content provenance standards (like C2PA) and invisible watermarking in AI-generated content accelerated among major platforms and industry vendors in 2025–2026.
Migration to alternatives: Trust failures led to user migrations and install spikes for alternatives such as Bluesky, which capitalized on the moment by releasing features to engage new users.
Detection and moderation tech: Companies offering AI-detection and metadata verification have matured; local-first and on-device appliances and services are now part of many provider stacks.

Practical, evidence-based steps to feel safer online

Technology and policy will keep evolving. Meanwhile you can take concrete steps right now to reduce exposure and anxiety. Use the three pillars below: technical controls, verification habits, and emotional care.

1) Technical protections: reduce your surface area

Lock down your images: Turn off automatic cloud backups for sensitive photos. Adjust privacy settings so your profile and posts aren’t public by default.
Use tight social privacy: Choose “friends only” or vetted followers for new posts. Review follower lists every few months and remove unknown accounts.
Limit app permissions: Revoke camera and microphone access for apps that don’t need them. On mobile, check which apps can access your photos.
Secure accounts: Enable two-factor authentication and use a password manager. Replace reuseable passwords with unique, strong ones.
Protect minors: For parents and caregivers, remove children’s photos from public profiles and enable strict privacy controls on family accounts.

2) Verification habits: make checking a routine

Adopt a simple verification checklist before you react or share any shocking image or video.

Source check: Who posted it first? Is it coming from a verified organization or an unknown account?
Reverse-image lookup: Use a reverse-image lookup (Google Images, TinEye) to see if the image has appeared elsewhere in a different context.
Metadata and provenance: Look for provenance marks or watermarks. Platforms and publishers increasingly attach metadata indicating origin or AI-generation.
Cross-check reputable outlets: Wait for reporting from reliable news organizations before accepting sensational claims. Fast social virality often precedes verification.
Ask a trusted friend: If you’re unsure, pause and consult someone you trust before amplifying content.

3) Emotional coping: reduce anxiety and regain control

Feeling anxious is normal. These steps are researched, practical ways to reduce stress and regain agency.

Limit consumption windows: Set a 20–30 minute twice-daily limit for news and social feeds to avoid doomscrolling.
Practice grounding: Use grounding techniques (5-4-3-2-1 sensory exercise) when you feel overwhelmed by online content.
Label the emotion: Naming anxiety (“I feel anxious about this post”) reduces its intensity and helps you choose a response.
Micro-actions: Do one small act that restores control: tighten privacy settings, report the content, or mute keywords related to the scandal.
Seek social support: Share concerns with friends or a trusted community. Discussing your reactions reduces isolation and perspective distortion.

Tools and resources (2026): what actually helps

By early 2026 the detection and provenance ecosystem is more mature than in 2023, but it’s still imperfect. Here are tools and features to watch for and use:

Provenance signals and C2PA: Look for content that includes C2PA or publisher provenance indicators. These attest to origin and edits.
Watermark/label warnings: Platforms increasingly label AI-generated content. Take these as initial cues, not definitive proof.
Reverse-image search tools: Google Images, TinEye, and emerging browser extensions make reverse searches fast and browser-native.
Detection services: Commercial detectors (often from specialized startups and larger vendors) can flag deepfakes, but expect false positives and false negatives.
Platform reporting channels: Learn the reporting flows on major platforms and take screenshots + timestamps when you report violating content; platform ops guidance such as preparing platform operations can be useful for community managers.

How to report and protect others (step-by-step)

If you encounter a nonconsensual or clearly AI-manipulated image, follow this checklist:

Take screenshots and preserve URLs and timestamps.
Use the platform’s “report” feature and choose the option for nonconsensual imagery or harassment.
If the content involves minors or sexual exploitation, contact local law enforcement or the relevant national reporting hotline immediately.
Contact the person targeted (if safe and appropriate) and offer support and documentation for removal requests.
Escalate to platform appeals if the content remains after initial reports. Use public attention carefully — only if it helps and if the targeted person consents.

Advice for caregivers and trusted friends

If someone you care for is affected by a deepfake or misinformation event, start with emotional safety.

Validate feelings: “I can see why you’d be upset. This would be terrifying for anyone.”
Help with practical steps: assist in changing passwords, tightening account privacy, and filing reports.
Encourage professional help if the person shows signs of severe distress (panic attacks, suicidal thoughts, persistent withdrawal).
Respect autonomy: ask how much the person wants you to publicize or act on their behalf.

Media scandals, platform trust, and collective behavior

Scandals like the X/Grok episode are not isolated PR problems; they are inflection points that shape norms. When platforms fail to act quickly, users often vote with their feet. Bluesky’s install surge illustrated that competition in social spaces is partly about perceived safety and governance, not only features.

But migration is not a simple fix. New platforms bring new norms, unknown moderation practices, and fresh technical risks. That means individual digital literacy matters more than ever — across platforms.

Looking ahead: trends and predictions for 2026 and beyond

Based on developments in late 2025 and early 2026, here’s what to expect and watch for:

Stronger provenance adoption: More publishers and platforms will embed provenance metadata. That will help verification but won’t eliminate misleading content.
Regulation accelerates: Legal scrutiny at state and national levels will push platforms to adopt faster takedown processes and clearer user protections.
User expectations shift: People will increasingly expect clearer labels and better redress mechanisms when harms occur.
Deepfake capability keeps improving: Generative models will become more realistic, so detection and literacy must co-evolve. On-device and local detection options — including running detection models locally — will grow in importance.
Mental-health integration: Platforms may add in-product cues and resources to support users distressed by content — from crisis line integrations to “pause and reflect” prompts before resharing. See practical workplace resources such as wellness-at-work guides for coping techniques.

When to seek professional help

Most anxiety in response to digital scandal resolves with practical actions and social support. But seek professional care if you notice:

Persistent intrusive thoughts about online content that disrupt daily functioning.
Sleep disruption, appetite change, or panic attacks tied to social media exposure.
Withdrawal from supportive relationships or worsening mood despite coping attempts.

Therapists trained in CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy) and ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy) offer strategies for rumination and hypervigilance. If privacy concerns prevent in-person care, many providers offer teletherapy with secure platforms.

Case study: one user’s path from panic to control

Consider Maya, a 27-year-old who discovered a manipulated photo of a friend circulating after the X scandal. Her first reaction was terror and anger. She spent hours searching for the original post and felt paralyzed. A friend used the checklist above: they preserved evidence, reported the content, assisted in tightening privacy settings, and introduced Maya to grounding exercises.

Within a week, the photo was removed from most platforms. Maya reduced social media hours, set a nightly “offline” window, and began therapy for lingering anxiety. She reports feeling calmer and more prepared the next time she encounters disturbing content.

This scenario shows combined technical action and emotional support working together — the model we recommend.

Deepfakes and misinformation are technological problems with human consequences. The X deepfake controversy and the Bluesky install surge highlighted how platform decisions ripple into everyday safety and wellbeing. The good news: you don’t have to wait for policy to change to feel safer.

Use the technical safeguards, verification habits, and emotional coping strategies we've outlined. Push for better platform transparency. And if you’re a caregiver, advocate for media literacy education for the young people in your life.

Next steps — a practical checklist to keep

Review and tighten privacy settings on your top 3 social accounts today.
Set a two-step daily limit for news/social feed browsing this week.
Save three verification tools: a reverse-image search, at least one detector extension, and your local reporting hotline.
Talk with one friend about a plan for supporting each other after encountering harmful content.

Call to action

If this topic resonates, take one immediate step: tighten privacy settings on one account now and sign up for a short digital-literacy guide tailored to caregivers and wellness seekers. Join a community that treats mental health and digital safety as connected issues, not separate ones.

You don’t have to navigate the changing online landscape alone. Keep learning, keep protecting, and reach out when you need support.

talked

Contributor

Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.

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