'Old wine in a new bottle': Activists raise alarm over deepfake videos

Activists are sounding the alarm over the escalating use of artificial intelligence to create deepfake videos, a tactic they say is being employed to spread disinformation and silence critics, particularly those advocating for West Papua's independence. Koteka Wenda, daughter of prominent West Papua liberation leader Benny Wenda, described her shock and violation upon discovering an AI-generated video of herself circulating on social media. In the fabricated clip, she appeared to denounce a documentary that has become a focal point of debate regarding West Papua.

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The resemblance of my likeness is so sinister. I felt like me and my people were violated.

The deepfake video targeted Ms. Wenda's likeness to discredit her and undermine the documentary "Pig Feast: Colonialism in Our Time." This film, by Dandhy Dwi Laksono and Cypri Jehan Paju Dale, exposes alleged mass deforestation and indigenous land exploitation in West Papua, facilitated by the Indonesian government and large corporations. The film also touches upon Indonesia's energy transition, the connection of sugar and biofuel industries to Australia, and the benefits multinational corporations have reaped from projects in the region.

West Papuan activists, including Ms. Wenda and Sydney-based activist Veronica Koman, view these AI-driven campaigns as a new form of repression. They fear such fabricated content could mislead supporters, causing them to question the activists' stances and allegiances. "If they don't know me, they'd probably think it was me," Ms. Wenda stated, expressing concern that her likeness is being used and believed as truth. Amnesty International has also documented disinformation campaigns targeting Indonesian government critics, adding to the growing concern over the manipulation of information.

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If they don't know me, they'd probably think it was me. I'm concerned that my likeness is being used and actually is being believed to be the truth.

Veronica Koman recounted a similar experience, where a video of her was altered to falsely suggest she praised the Indonesian government's efforts in West Papua, a claim later classified as a "hoax" by Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and Digital. Koman believes the original footage was taken from her personal Facebook account. She has been a repeated target, having previously been subjected to a deepfake video depicting her in sexual acts, which she described as "very harmful, upsetting and really disgusting." The use of deepfakes represents a significant challenge in distinguishing truth from fabrication, particularly in politically charged contexts like the West Papua conflict.

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It's very harmful, upsetting and really disgusting.