Yogyakarta Governor Sultan HB X Targeted by AI-Generated Scam Video
The Governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, has been victimised by an artificial intelligence (AI) manipulation, with a video circulating that falsely depicts him making a statement. The Yogyakarta Regional Government has explained the circumstances that led to the case being uncovered.
Coordinator of the Public Relations Sub-Division of the Regional Secretariat’s General, Public Relations, and Protocol Bureau, Ditya Nanaryo Aji, stated that the administration became aware of the video, which was being shared on WhatsApp, through the Sultan’s second daughter, GKR Condrokirono. “We do not know when the video began circulating, but Gusti Condrokirono contacted us yesterday around 5 p.m. A friend or colleague of hers had shared it via WhatsApp. So it is a WhatsApp video, not on social media,” Ditya explained when met at the Kepatihan Complex in Yogyakarta on Wednesday.
Ditya said the first step was to check whether the Public Relations department had ever produced such a video. “Secondly, to confirm if it was not ours, whether it was suspected of using AI. After we checked the video, it turned out that Ngarsa Dalem had never conducted such an interview or made such a statement, and we confirmed it was made using AI,” he added.
Ditya elaborated on the content of the AI-generated video, which contained a statement from the Sultan urging payment for an item before the video was sent. In a clarification posted on the official Instagram account of the Yogyakarta Regional Government, Ditya confirmed the video had been censored because the Sultan was made to mention the name of a particular figure. “So it is more of a scam, a fraud. In the video, it is conveyed as if Ngarsa Dalem is promoting something, urging that payment for an item be made before the goods are sent. And it mentions a merchant, which is clearly impossible for him to have said,” he detailed.
“Indeed, the video mentions a certain figure, which we have censored to prevent further polemic, because it is clearly a fake video,” Ditya continued. The Regional Government does not yet know if there are any victims of the scam. However, it is suspected that the colleague who shared the video with GKR Condrokirono was a potential victim trying to verify its authenticity. “As far as I know, but we did not ask in detail, the potential victim wanted to confirm with Gusti Kirono whether the video was genuine or not. It misused Ngarsa Dalem’s name,” he explained.
Gusti Condrokirono subsequently requested the DIY Regional Government’s Public Relations to issue a clarification and create educational content about the video. The educational content aims to prevent the public from blindly accepting any information circulating on social media that claims to be from the DIY Regional Government, especially Sultan HB X. “The statement delivered by him in the video touches on a private domain, and it is abundantly clear that this is impossible. As long as we have been in Public Relations, he has never made statements that touch on someone else’s private domain,” Ditya stated.
Ditya added that this is the first such incident to occur. He also confirmed that the administration has not yet taken any legal action or reported the matter to the police. “So far, no. Because our emphasis is more on educating the public about the use of AI and its misuse for hoaxes. Up to now, we have not moved in that direction,” he concluded.
Previously, the DIY Regional Government stated that Governor Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X had fallen victim to an AI manipulation. In the video, Sultan HB X appeared to be making a statement regarding a certain matter. The government’s official account, @humasjogja, also uploaded the AI-manipulated video with a hoax label. The public was urged not to believe or disseminate the video if found elsewhere. The uploaded video showed the Sultan seemingly speaking to the camera about ancient coins, though the full statement had been censored. It was emphasised that the statement was not official documentation and was an AI fabrication. “If you encounter this video on social media, please do not believe or spread it. Do not easily trust posts claiming to be from the Governor of DIY, especially those concerning private matters,” the administration stated. The public was also urged to be wiser in using social media, particularly by verifying any circulating information.