Yudho Giri Sucahyo, Head of the Cyber Studies Center at the Police Science College (STIK) Indonesian National Police Education and Training Institute (Lemdiklat Polri), has warned that deepfake technology is playing a critical role in modern global conflicts as part of a broader strategy of information warfare.
- Deepfakes are being integrated into cognitive, cyber, and media warfare to manipulate public perception.
- The speed of AI-generated disinformation dissemination currently exceeds the public’s ability to detect it.
- Vulnerable groups in Indonesia, including the elderly and new social media users, face the highest risk of deception.
The Role of Deepfake Technology in Modern Conflict
Speaking in mid-April 2026, Yudho stated that modern warfare has expanded beyond physical combat to include information, cognitive, cyber, and media warfare. He noted that conflicts in the Middle East specifically demonstrate how these tools are used to shape public emotions and opinions.
Manipulative content, including engineered attack videos and fake speeches, has become an effective propaganda tool. While generative AI has significantly increased the prevalence of deepfakes on the internet, Yudho noted that classical disinformation methods, such as edited texts and images, are not yet fully dominated by video deepfakes.
The primary danger of this technology is the erosion of public trust. Yudho warned that the public could eventually reach a point where they can no longer distinguish between what is real and what is fake.
Digital Literacy and Detection in Indonesia
In the context of Indonesia, the level of public awareness regarding deepfake threats remains uneven. Despite digital literacy efforts by the Ministry of Communication and Information, geographic challenges and the size of the population have hindered optimal progress.
Yudho identified the elderly and new social media users as groups requiring more attention. He urged the public to be critical of digital content, particularly viral posts that encourage immediate distribution.
To identify deepfakes, Yudho suggested looking for stiff facial expressions, unnatural voices, and mismatches between lip movements and sound. However, he acknowledged that as the technology evolves, detection is becoming increasingly difficult.
To combat these threats, Yudho advocated for the continuous improvement of digital literacy and the provision of fact-checking resources by the government and media. He also called for electronic system organizers to label AI-generated content in accordance with current regulations.
The public is encouraged to remain skeptical and verify all information through mainstream media before believing or disseminating it.
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