Deepfakes & Democracy: Indonesia’s Warning for the Global South
- A manipulated video targeting Finance Minister Sri Mulyani in August 2025 exposed Indonesia's vulnerability to disinformation, highlighting the urgent need for robust regulation and digital literacy initiatives.
- In August 2025, Indonesia experienced a jarring presentation of the power of deepfake technology.
- Demonstrations erupted outside the DPR (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat, Indonesia's House of Representatives).
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The Looming Threat of Deepfakes to Indonesian Democracy
Table of Contents
A manipulated video targeting Finance Minister Sri Mulyani in August 2025 exposed Indonesia’s vulnerability to disinformation, highlighting the urgent need for robust regulation and digital literacy initiatives.
the Sri Mulyani Incident: A Case Study in Disinformation
In August 2025, Indonesia experienced a jarring presentation of the power of deepfake technology. A fabricated video depicting Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati stating “teachers are a burden on the state” rapidly spread across social media platforms. The video circulated for several days before its deceptive nature was widely acknowledged.
The situation escalated quickly. Demonstrations erupted outside the DPR (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat, Indonesia’s House of Representatives). Reports indicated that infiltrators within the protests specifically targeted DPR members and Sri Mulyani herself. Social media became a breeding ground for threats, with potential targets being named amidst a deluge of WhatsApp rumors and urgent television news coverage. Only after attacks and looting had begun did mainstream media confirm the video’s falsity. The damage to public trust and stability was already ample.
Why Indonesia is Particularly Vulnerable
The Sri Mulyani case isn’t an isolated incident; it’s a symptom of deeper structural vulnerabilities within Indonesia. The nation faces a confluence of factors that make it particularly susceptible to the spread of disinformation, and specifically, the impact of deepfakes.These include:
- Low Digital Literacy: A significant portion of the Indonesian population lacks the critical thinking skills necessary to discern credible details from fabricated content.
- High Social Media Consumption: Indonesia boasts one of the highest rates of social media usage globally, providing a vast and rapid distribution network for disinformation. DataReportal estimates over 139.6 million Indonesians use social media as of January 2024.
- Economic Inequality: Wide disparities in wealth and opportunity can fuel resentment and distrust, making individuals more receptive to narratives that exploit these grievances.
- AI-Driven Job Anxiety: Growing concerns about job displacement due to automation and artificial intelligence create a climate of fear and uncertainty, ripe for manipulation.
As the saying goes, Like a fire in a husk, these conditions create a fertile ground for disinformation, ready to flare with even the smallest spark.
Understanding Deepfakes: Forms and Potential Impacts
What are Deepfakes?
Deepfakes are synthetic media created using artificial intelligence, typically based on machine learning techniques. They can take various forms:
- Face Swaps: Replacing one person’s face with another in a video.
- Synthetic Audio: Creating realistic-sounding audio of someone saying things they never said.
- Full-Body Manipulations: Altering a person’s entire appearance and actions in a video.
Potential Impacts on Indonesia
The potential consequences of widespread deepfake proliferation in Indonesia are severe:
- Electoral Interference: Deepfakes could be used to sway public opinion during elections by falsely