Jakarta, INTI - The South Sulawesi Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) is mapping the legal framework needed to monitor AI-generated and manipulated content that could potentially be used to violate election rules, amid the absence of regulations that explicitly address deepfakes in election campaigns.
Andarias Duma, a member of South Sulawesi Bawaslu and Coordinator of the Legal and Training Division, said the rapid development of digital technology has changed the nature and methods of potential election violations. Manipulated content can now be produced and distributed widely within a short period.
“Imagine a video circulating during the campaign quiet period showing a candidate apparently saying they would eliminate social assistance for a particular group. The candidate’s face, voice, and even lip movements could appear highly authentic,” Andarias said in Makassar on September 28, 2026.
According to Andarias, confirmation that a video has been generated or manipulated using AI may only emerge after the content has already spread widely, as not everyone can distinguish authentic material from digitally manipulated content.
Bawaslu Applies Existing Legal Provisions
Andarias explained that election monitoring challenges have shifted from conventional methods toward increasingly complex digital networks.
Monitoring digital spaces may involve anonymous accounts, platform algorithms, bot networks, and the mass distribution of certain narratives.
Manipulated content can also be created quickly and distributed to specifically targeted groups of voters.
In the absence of regulations that explicitly refer to AI-generated content or deepfakes in election campaigns, South Sulawesi Bawaslu is taking a legal-construction approach based on existing provisions.
“Our regulations may not explicitly mention the word ‘deepfake’ in election campaigns. However, that does not mean such activities cannot be monitored. Bawaslu must be able to construct a legal framework so that existing provisions can address new forms of violations,” Andarias said.
South Sulawesi Bawaslu combines normative and empirical approaches by reviewing various regulations, including the 1945 Constitution, Election Law, Regional Election Law, Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law, Personal Data Protection Law, and Bawaslu regulations.
Six Stages for Assessing Digital Violations
South Sulawesi Bawaslu applies six stages when assessing suspected digital violations: identifying the content, verifying its authenticity, identifying the relevant parties, mapping applicable legal provisions, analyzing the elements of the relevant articles, and formulating conclusions and recommendations for further action.
Andarias said strengthening human resources is essential because election supervisors must not only understand regulations but also keep pace with developments in information technology.
“Technology will not replace election supervisors, but supervisors who do not understand technology will find it increasingly difficult to monitor technology. Therefore, Bawaslu personnel need to develop three key areas of expertise: legal skills, digital skills, and investigative skills,” he said.
At the national level, Bawaslu has also identified the use of AI and manipulated content as among the challenges for election supervision ahead of the 2029 elections.
Bawaslu Chairman Rahmat Bagja said in July 2026 that Indonesia’s current election legal framework does not explicitly regulate the use of AI in campaigns, highlighting the need to strengthen regulations in response to developments in digital technology.
Conclusion
The rise of AI-generated content, particularly deepfakes, is creating new challenges for election oversight. South Sulawesi Bawaslu is reviewing existing legal provisions and strengthening digital, legal, and investigative capabilities to address potentially manipulative content ahead of future elections.
Read more: Indonesia’s Ministry of Law Deploys AI to Identify Overlapping Regulations