Screengrab of the AI-generated fake footage on Instagram shared by an Indonesian nationalist account “bersamaastacita” showing Koteka Wenda speaking out against a new film about land grabs and human rights abuses in Papua.
Photo: Screengrab / bersamaastacita
A West Papuan independence activist says AI-generated fake footage of her and her words has been used to spread disinformation on social media.
Koteka Wenda, daughter of the leader of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, Benny Wenda, said the Instagram video reel by an Indonesian nationalist account cast her speaking out against a new film about land grabs and human rights abuses in Papua.
Indonesian authorities have stopped some screenings of the Pesta Babi, or Pig Feast, documentary, citing concerns for ‘public order’.
Wenda, who is based in the Netherlands, described it as violating that her words, body language and movements had been misused in a propaganda video, through AI-manipulation of previous footage that she had posted herself online speaking about West Papuan independence.
“This video is really concerning, because to the untrained eye it looks as if it’s me speaking against human rights, or at least the sharing of important documentaries like Pesta Babi.”
Targeted voices
Wenda said Al was being used to spread political disinformation targeting West Papuan voices and Indigenous activists.
“There could be people out there, you know, other West Papuans themselves seeing my face for a prominent West Papuan activist, suddenly switching sides. It’s really problematic, because this is it can build public distrust.”
She appears to be the first of the younger wave of West Papuan activists to be targetted at this new level of sophistication and reach, with hundreds of thousands of views.
“This is digital colonisation. This is a new form of it’s a new colonial tactic to oppress us West Papuans. I mean, not only does Indonesia seek to steal our land and steal our futures, but they’re also stealing our bodies and our voices, and I feel very much violated by this recent AI video.”
Tech accountability
Wenda said people have been reporting the fake Instagram reel and blocking it.
“Some people have even been claiming that it’s digital blackface, but it hasn’t been taken down. And this is really concerning.
“But the comment section, since I spoke up about it, the comment section had been flooded with messages and comments from a lot of our Free West Papua friends stating that this is AI, this is not real, this is fake. So, there is discourse, there is like conversation happening.”
But this video has muddied the waters somewhat, and Wenda advised social media users to always be ready to adopt a critical lens and check the source of posts and reels.
But the social media platforms have a responsibility too, she said.
“It’s important that social media platforms take this seriously and push for transparency, push for accountability.”
RNZ Pacific has reached out to the Indonesian government for comment.
