Local Events: Hosting a Workshop on Responsible AI and Deepfake Literacy in Jeddah

Hook: Why Jeddah needs deepfake literacy — and why now

In late 2025 and early 2026, global headlines showed how quickly synthetic media can harm real people: investigative reports revealed how AI tools were used to generate non‑consensual sexual images and videos and to amplify abuse across major social networks. Platforms scrambled, new apps saw sudden download spikes, and regulators opened probes. For residents of Jeddah — students, journalists, community leaders, and everyday citizens — the question is not if a deepfake will reach our feeds, but when. That makes community education on deepfake literacy, AI safety, and platform reporting a civic priority.

The blueprint in one line (quick takeaway)

Run a bilingual, half‑day civic‑tech workshop in Jeddah that teaches participants how to spot manipulated media, preserve evidence, report abuse to platforms and authorities, and protect personal and professional reputations — using reproducible lesson plans, local partnerships, and a post‑event incident‑response network.

Why this matters in 2026 — context and trends

Recent events (January 2026 reporting on AI misuse and platform moderation gaps) show three clear trends that shape workshop design:

• Deepfake accessibility: Powerful generative models are widely available via web apps, APIs and integrated social bots. This lowers the skill needed to create convincing fakes.
• Platform moderation pressure: Investigations and regulatory attention (late 2025 — early 2026) have exposed moderation failures. Users need to know how to report and escalate when platforms lag.
• Provenance & standards: Industry efforts like content provenance (C2PA and content credentials) are gaining traction; workshops should introduce these standards and what they mean for creators and citizens.

Workshop objectives — what attendees will be able to do

• Identify the most common signs of manipulated images, audio and video.
• Preserve and document digital evidence in ways that platforms and authorities accept.
• Report abuse efficiently on major platforms and use escalation paths when initial reports fail.
• Take practical steps to protect personal and professional reputations (prevention + remediation).
• Join a local network for fast incident response and community support.

Target audience and capacity

Design separate tracks or mixed groups to include:

• General public (students, parents, small business owners)
• Journalists and media creators
• Legal advocates, HR professionals, and community leaders
• Tech volunteers and civic developers

Recommended group size: 40–80 participants for an in‑person half‑day event (or 100 with hybrid streaming).

Timing & format — sample agenda (half‑day, 4 hours)

1. 0:00–0:20 — Welcome, local context, and quick poll (what incidents have attendees seen?)
2. 0:20–0:50 — Short primer: how modern generative AI works and 2026 platform trends (use real cases from Jan 2026)
3. 0:50–1:40 — Hands‑on session 1: Image verification (reverse image search, metadata, visual artifacts)
4. 1:40–2:00 — Break & networking
5. 2:00–2:40 — Hands‑on session 2: Video & audio — frame analysis, waveform & spectrogram basics, AI artifacts
6. 2:40–3:10 — Reporting workshop: step‑by‑step reporting on X, Meta, YouTube, TikTok and local escalation to regulators
7. 3:10–3:40 — Reputation playbook: takedown requests, DMCA equivalents, and preventative content hygiene
8. 3:40–4:00 — Action planning: community incident response teams, volunteer roles, next steps

Curriculum — detailed lesson plans & exercises

Session A: Quick AI primer (20–30 minutes)

• Explain generative models at a high level: prompt → model → synthetic media.
• Show a live demo of a benign synthetic image generator and a short video to demonstrate how realism has increased in 2024–2026.
• Discuss recent headlines (January 2026) about non‑consensual content and platform probes to ground urgency.

Session B: Image verification practical (50 minutes)

• Tools to teach: reverse image search (Google/Bing/Yandex), InVID‑Verifier (or current equivalent), FotoForensics (error level analysis), EXIF viewers, and C2PA content credentials checkers.
• Exercise: give participants 3 images (one authentic, one simple fake, one high‑quality synthetic). Guide them to document steps, capture timestamps and compose a short verification report.
• Outcome: participants can produce a one‑page evidence file (screenshots, links, and short conclusion).

Session C: Video & audio detection basics (40 minutes)

• Teach frame‑by‑frame inspection (pixel anomalies, lip sync issues), waveform and spectrogram basics for audio deepfakes, and cross‑checking with original sources.
• Tools: VLC for frame stepping, Audacity for waveform, online spectrogram tools, and simple forensic checklists.
• Exercise: identify inconsistencies in a short 20–30s clip; prepare an evidence packet.

Session D: Reporting to platforms & authorities (30–40 minutes)

• Provide step‑by‑step templates and screenshots for reporting on major platforms (X, Meta/Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat). Update content with the latest 2026 reporting UI when available.
• Teach escalation: collect and preserve evidence, include URLs, timestamps, author handles, and the evidence packet; then escalate to platform appeal and to local regulator/authority if needed.
• Local escalation contacts: Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) and the Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA) — encourage attendees to file complaints and keep records.

Session E: Protecting reputation & recovery (30 minutes)

• Immediate steps: request takedown, issue public statement templates (in Arabic and English), and legal referral pathways.
• Preventative hygiene: digital privacy checklist, two‑factor authentication, watermarking authentic content, and using content credentials for your creative work.

Logistics & local partnerships — who to invite and why

Successful civic tech events in Jeddah pair community energy with institutional support. Consider inviting or partnering with:

• Universities and student clubs (media, law, computer science) for volunteers, space, and student attendance.
• Local media outlets and fact‑checking teams (to share real case studies and amplify the event).
• Legal clinics or privacy lawyers to give short talks on legal remedies and privacy rights under Saudi law (note: this is not legal advice).
• Regulatory bodies or government tech units — invite a speaker from SDAIA or CITC if possible for credibility and to learn reporting channels.
• Community hubs and co‑working spaces for venues (choose accessible locations in Jeddah with good Wi‑Fi).

Bilingual delivery: Arabic + English (how to structure materials)

Make the workshop accessible by preparing all materials in both Arabic and English. Practical tips:

• Slides: English on left, Arabic translation on right or alternate bilingual slides.
• Handouts and evidence templates: provide fillable Arabic/English PDFs participants can download or print.
• Facilitators: include at least one Arabic‑native and one English‑native facilitator to manage live translation and Q&A.

Safety, ethics & safeguarding — mandatory components

Because the workshop may involve sensitive examples (non‑consensual imagery), include a safeguarding plan:

• Clear content warnings before demos. Allow opt‑out for sensitive sessions.
• Use synthetic or consented example media for demos rather than real victims’ content.
• Have a code of conduct and an on‑site contact for anyone distressed by content.
• Collect minimal participant data and explain how you store evidence shared during the workshop.

Sample materials to prepare (checklist)

• Facilitator guide (step‑by‑step lesson plans)
• Bilingual slide deck and a 1‑page cheat sheet in Arabic/English
• Three hands‑on datasets (images/videos) with known ground truth for exercises
• Evidence packet template (screenshots, metadata, links, timeline)
• Reporting templates for platforms and a local escalation form
• Media consent forms for any recording

Reporting playbook — platform steps (updated for 2026)

Below are condensed, platform‑agnostic steps. Update screenshots for each platform before running your event.

1. Document: capture the URL, take full‑screen screenshots, and note timestamp and author handle.
2. Download: where possible, download the media file (many platforms allow saving via the app or using browser devtools).
3. Metadata: extract EXIF/metadata if the image/video is downloadable; otherwise save the page HTML via “Save Page As.”
4. Report: use the platform's reporting flow, select non‑consensual content or impersonation, attach evidence packet and explanation.
5. Escalate: if unresolved, file an appeal with the platform and submit a complaint to local regulators (CITC or SDAIA). Keep copies of all correspondence. If major platforms are degraded while you're responding, consult a platform continuity playbook such as What to Do When X/Other Major Platforms Go Down to avoid confusion and pick alternative escalation channels.

Evidence preservation — technical tips

• Use browser developer tools to capture network requests for a video source URL.
• Record the screen with timestamps (local time and UTC). Store the recording in two locations (cloud + external drive).
• Calculate a cryptographic hash (SHA‑256) for downloaded files to prove you preserved the original evidence — and consider automating metadata capture where possible (see a guide on automating metadata extraction).
• Maintain a chain‑of‑custody log (who handled files and when) if you plan to escalate to legal channels.

Post‑event: build a local incident response network

The workshop should not be a one‑off. Convert participants into responders:

• Create a private channel (Telegram, WhatsApp or secured Slack) for verified volunteers who can triage new incidents — see tool roundups to pick a platform and basic moderation tools (product & organizer tools).
• Establish roles: verifiers, reporters (platform reporting specialists), legal liaisons, and mental‑health support contacts.
• Set SLAs for triage (e.g., initial triage within 24 hours, takedown requests within 48 hours).
• Track metrics: number of incidents verified, takedowns achieved, platform response times, and legal referrals.

Measuring impact — KPIs for civic tech funders

• Participants trained (disaggregated by demographics)
• Verified incidents and percentage leading to takedown or correction
• Average platform response time before vs after community escalation
• Follow‑up activities: repeat workshops and number of active response volunteers

Case study idea: mock incident response (a reproducible exercise)

Simulate a realistic incident: an altered short video of a public figure posted to a social network. Walk teams through verification, evidence preservation, platform reporting, and preparing a public clarification. Debrief with lessons learned and update the reporting templates.

Common challenges and how to mitigate them

• Fast‑moving narratives: pre‑prepare rapid response statements and teach participants how to avoid amplifying suspected fakes.
• Platform friction: maintain a documented escalation map and identify the “appeal” process for each platform.
• Legal uncertainty: have a list of trusted lawyers and remind attendees this workshop is educational, not legal advice.
• Emotional toll: rotate volunteers for verification work and provide local mental‑health or counselling contacts.

Why include provenance & content credentials in your workshop

Industry adoption of content provenance (C2PA, content credentials) is expanding in 2025–2026. Teach creators how to embed content credentials when producing media. Encourage local newsrooms and influencers in Jeddah to adopt credentials so audiences can more easily verify authenticity.

Budget guide (rough estimates)

• Venue (half‑day): SAR 1,000–5,000 depending on location and AV
• Refreshments: SAR 30–60 per person
• Materials & printing: SAR 300–800
• Speaker honoraria / legal consultant: SAR 1,000–4,000
• Tech: basic streaming kit if hybrid — consider low-cost streaming and refurbished kits to save budget — SAR 2,000–6,000

Templates & resources to include in your toolkit

• Bilingual evidence packet PDF
• Platform reporting checklist and screenshot templates
• One‑page reputation recovery checklist (Arabic/English) — include writing templates or guidance (content template tips)
• Sample public statement templates for affected people
• Links to public forensic tools and C2PA checkers

Final recommendations — running a resilient civic workshop

Run the workshop with the same principles you’d apply to digital incidents: prepare, document, and build lasting capacity. Focus on practical skills, protect participants, and leave them with tools they can use the moment they leave the room.

Quick rule of thumb: preserve first, report second — without preserved evidence, platforms and authorities often cannot act.

Next‑step checklist for organizers (one page)

• Secure venue and AV, set date, and publish bilingual event page.
• Recruit facilitators: at least one forensic tech, one legal advisor, one media/community speaker.
• Prepare datasets and confirm consent for demo media.
• Create bilingual signup forms and pre‑event survey to map participant needs.
• Build post‑event channel and schedule the follow‑up meetup.

Closing: Jeddah can lead local AI safety education

As 2026 unfolds, synthetic media will keep challenging trust online. But local communities — especially vibrant, connected cities like Jeddah — can neutralize harm by training citizens, building trusted reporting channels, and creating rapid response networks. A well‑run deepfake literacy workshop is more than an event: it’s the start of a resilient civic infrastructure that protects reputations, supports victims, and strengthens public trust.

Call to action

If you’re organizing in Jeddah: list your workshop on saudis.app’s Events & Community Calendar, download our bilingual starter kit (evidence packet, reporting templates and facilitator guide), or email events@saudis.app to get matched with volunteer facilitators and legal partners. Let’s run the next session together — teach, verify, report, and protect.

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