Yogyakarta Government Clarifies AI-Generated Deepfake Video of Sultan HB X is a Scam

The Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY) administration moved swiftly to debunk a video circulating on WhatsApp, clarifying that it was an AI-generated deepfake featuring Sultan Hamengku Buwono X. The administration uploaded a clarification on its official Instagram account, @humasjogja, labelling the video a hoax and urging the public not to believe or share it.

Ditya Nanaryo Aji, Coordinator of the Public Relations Substance at the DIY Regional Secretariat, explained that the AI video contained a statement from the Sultan urging payment for an item before the video was sent. The administration censored the video in its clarification post because the Sultan was made to mention a specific individual’s name.

“It is more of a scam, a fraud. In the video, it is conveyed that Ngarsa Dalem is promoting something, making it seem as though payment for an item should be made before the goods are sent, and it mentions a merchant. That is clearly impossible for him to say,” Ditya stated at the Kepatihan Complex in Yogyakarta on Wednesday.

The incident came to light after the Sultan’s second daughter, GKR Condrokirono, reported the video to the public relations team. A colleague of hers had received the video via WhatsApp and sought to verify its authenticity. “We do not know when the video started circulating, but Gusti Condrokirono contacted us yesterday around 5 p.m. A friend or colleague of hers was shared the video via WhatsApp,” Ditya explained.

Upon inspection, the team confirmed the Sultan had never given such an interview or statement and verified the video was created using AI. Ditya noted that the colleague who shared the video with GKR Condrokirono was likely a potential victim attempting to verify the video’s truthfulness. GKR Condrokirono subsequently requested the administration to issue a clarification and create educational content to prevent the public from blindly believing information falsely attributed to the Sultan.

Ditya stated this was the first such incident and confirmed that no legal action or police report has been filed. “For now, our focus is on educating the public about the use and misuse of AI for hoaxes. We have not yet moved in that direction,” he concluded.