Asian-News.net is your go-to online destination for comprehensive coverage of major news across Asia. From politics and business to culture and technology, we bring you the latest updates, deep analyses, and critical insights from every corner of the continent. Featuring exclusive interviews, high-quality photos, and engaging videos, we keep you informed on the breaking news and significant events shaping Asia. Stay connected with us to get a 24/7 update on the most important stories and trends. Our daily updates ensure that you never miss a beat on the happenings in Asia's diverse nations. Whether it's a political shift in China, economic development in India, technological advancements in Japan, or cultural events in Southeast Asia, Asian-News.net has it covered. Dive into the world of Asian news with us and stay ahead in understanding this dynamic and vibrant region.

Contacts

  • Owner: SNOWLAND s.r.o.
  • Registration certificate 06691200
  • 16200, Na okraji 381/41, Veleslavín, 162 00 Praha 6
  • Czech Republic

AI ‘resurrects’ long dead dictator in murky new era of deepfake electioneering

CNN —

A once-feared army general, who ruled Indonesia with an iron fist for more than three decades, has a message for voters ahead of upcoming elections – from beyond the grave.

“I am Suharto, the second president of Indonesia,” the former general says in a three-minute video that has racked up more than 4.7 million views on X and spread to TikTok, Facebook and YouTube.

While mildly convincing at first, it’s clear that the stern-looking man in the video isn’t the former Indonesian president. The real Suharto, dubbed the “Smiling General” because he was always seen smiling despite his ruthless leadership style, died in 2008 at age 86.

The video was an AI-generated deepfake, created using tools that cloned Suharto’s face and voice. “The video was made to remind us how important our votes are in the upcoming election,” said Erwin Aksa, deputy chairman of Golkar – one of Indonesia’s largest and oldest political parties. He first shared the video on X ahead of February 14 elections.

Michal Simecka, a progressive politician in Slovakia, was target of a deepfake audio in a tight election race last year he ended up losing.

Related article A fake recording of a candidate saying he’d rigged the election went viral. Experts say it’s only the beginning

The party is one of 18 competing in this year’s race, which will see more than 200 million voters head to the polls. Golkar is not fielding its own presidential candidate but has thrown its support behind frontrunner Prabowo Subianto, a former army general under Suharto’s military-backed regime – and also his former son-in-law.

By bringing a long dead leader back to life just weeks before the vote, Golkar’s intentions were clear: to encourage voters to throw their weight behind

Read more on edition.cnn.com