AI-generated fake photos of acid attack suspect circulated in Jakarta case
AI-generated photos purporting to show the suspect in an acid attack on KontraS activist Andrie Yunus circulated on Indonesian social media in March 2026. Police confirmed the images were artificial, prompting DPR officials to warn that the fabricated photos risked confusing the public and potentially leading to vigilante violence against innocent people who resembled the fake images.
What happened
AI-generated photos purporting to show the suspect in an acid attack on Andrie Yunus, Wakil Koordinator of KontraS, circulated on social media. The incident occurred on Thursday, 12 March 2026 at approximately 23:00 WIB, with the photos subsequently spreading online.
Reported impact
Ketua Komisi III DPR Habiburokhman warned that the fake images risked confusing the public and potentially leading to mistaken arrests. He expressed concern that people resembling the AI-generated photos could be attacked by vigilantes acting on misinformation.
Index analysis
Polri confirmed that the circulating photos were AI-generated. Habiburokhman called on Polri to rapidly counter the misinformation and explain to the public that the images were fabricated, noting that even he initially believed they were real until checking with police contacts.
Governance controls
Habiburokhman requested that Polri's public relations division actively counter and explain the false information to the public. He urged the police to move quickly to prevent further confusion and mitigate the risk of harm to innocent people.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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