Video Use in Adolescence: Manipulation, Propaganda, Information, and Resilience (VAMPIR)

Video-based disinformation and deepfakes pose a particular risk to adolescents. Their rapid and large-scale dissemination is today driven particularly by video-platforms such as TikTok, which are especially popular among younger audiences. The algorithmically amplified spread of short-form videos enables false or misleading information to reach vast audiences within a very short time. Especially concerning are emotionally charged narratives and AI-generated deepfakes, which can appear highly convincing and may be exploited for political influence, defamation, or opinion manipulation. Influencers may also deliberately disseminate such content, often without disclosing their motives or sources of funding, thereby creating significant potential for manipulation given their extensive reach among young users.

The Interdisciplinary Research Consortium

The interdisciplinary research project “Video Use in Adolescence: Manipulation, Propaganda, Information, and Resilience (VAMPIR)” seeks to examine technical, societal, and legal measures to counter video-based disinformation and deepfakes. Its core objectives include the identification and analysis of disinformation strategies, as well as the development of AI-assisted methods for detecting deepfakes. Furthermore, the project seeks to investigate how visually mediated disinformation differs psychologically from text-based forms and how it specifically affects adolescent audiences. Finally, the project undertakes a comprehensive analysis of the legal framework governing the detection and mitigation of video-based disinformation and deepfakes. Building on these findings, the consortium will formulate policy recommendations for legislators and platform providers, including strategies aimed at strengthening media literacy among young people.

The consortium consists of the following partners:

The consortium has previously collaborated on research projects addressing the detection and mitigation of disinformation (DORIAN and DYNAMO). Within the VAMPIR project, it will cooperate with a range of associated partners, including stakeholders from the education sector, with the aim of developing practice-oriented solutions and integrating research findings into educational materials.

The Legal Subproject

The legal subproject is tasked with developing proposals for regulatory measures that are aligned with the empirical findings generated by the partner disciplines.

At the outset, the University of Kassel will examine the legal avenues for granting researchers access to data held by intermediary services and will seek authorisation for the consortium to access relevant services (cf. Art. 40 DSA). In addition, it will define data protection requirements for the project infrastructure and assess the specific protection needs of minors. This work will be conducted in close collaboration with the Fraunhofer SIT, particularly with regard to evaluating existing deepfake detection technologies from a data protection perspective and assessing the implementation of privacy-by-design principles.

The central focus of the legal subproject lies in the systematic analysis and evaluation of the legal framework governing the detection and mitigation of video-based disinformation and deepfakes. This includes, first, an examination of the requirements under German constitutional law and EU primary law, followed by an analysis of relevant provisions of EU secondary law (e.g. DSA, GDPR, AI Act and AVMSD). At the national level, particular attention will be paid to the DDG, the Interstate Media Treaty, and the Interstate Treaty on the Protection of Minors in the Media. A key objective is to assess whether these legal instruments provide sufficiently specific safeguards to protect adolescents from video-based disinformation, including provisions relating to age restrictions and risk management obligations. The project will also examine requirements under the AI Act, particularly obligations concerning the labeling of synthetic content and deepfakes. Moreover, the analysis will encompass soft law instruments (such as guidelines, codes of conduct, and crisis protocols), as well as national self-regulatory bodies. The interaction between public and private regulation (hybrid governance) will also be considered. In addition, the project will evaluate the implementation and enforcement of existing rules, including ongoing EU proceedings against very large online platforms (e.g., TikTok, Meta, and X), and will conduct comparative analyses with third countries.

Finally, proposed legal reforms, such as potential revisions to the AI Act, the draft Digital Fairness Act, and legislative initiatives aimed at criminalising deepfakes, will be critically assessed. Particular attention will be paid to the extent of regulatory discretion remaining at the national level in addressing video-based disinformation and deepfakes. 

Building on these analyses, the project will develop proposals for legal measures grounded in the empirical findings of the partner disciplines. Both preventive and repressive approaches will be considered, with a particular focus on addressing the specific protection needs of adolescents.

Funding and Further Information

The VAMPIR project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) with a total budget of €2.07 million (funding codes: 16KIS2498K – 16KIS2502). The project duration is three years, running from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029.

Further information is available on the website of the BMFTR.

Project information

Funding:
Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space

Duration:
April 2026 - March 2029

Project leader: 
Prof. Dr Gerrit Hornung, LL.M.

Staff:
Tahireh Panahi