Deepfake

"Deepfake" plunges readers into the high-stakes world of high school competition and digital deception. Dara and Will, top students and a secret couple, find their lives unraveling when an anonymous gossip site, "Rumor Has It," first exposes their relationship, then releases a deepfake video that appears to show Dara accusing Will of SAT fraud. This leads to an investigation into Will and a rift in their relationship. The book explores the urgent need for them to discover who created the fake video and why, highlighting themes of truth, justice, and the devastating impact of online misinformation. It's a timely read for ages 12-18, prompting discussions about media literacy, online reputation, and navigating complex relationships under pressure.

Dara Simons and Will Halpern are head of the senior class at Greenpoint High, competitors for valedictorian, but also dating each other, a fact that they kept secret until Rumor Has It, an anonymous gossip site, spilled the beans--but worse is to come because the site posts a video that seems to show Dara accusing Will of paying someone to take the SAT for him and suddenly Will is under investigation and his relationship with Dara is on the rocks, even though she denies ever having said anything of the sort, and it becomes imperative to find out who is responsible for the fake video and why they are trying to wreck two lives.