Autonomous Bougainville Government President Ishmael
Toroama has condemned the circulation of an artificial
intelligence (AI)-generated video depicting a physical
confrontation between him and Papua New Guinea Prime
Minister James Marape.
The clip, first shared on
Facebook last week, is generated from a picture (above) of
Toroama and Marape taken at a news conference in September
2024, where the two leaders announced the appointment of
former New Zealand Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae as
the independent moderator for the Bougainville peace
talks.
It shows Toroama punching Marape from a sitting
position as both fall down. The post has amassed almost
190,000 views on Facebook and over 360 comments.
In a
statement on Monday, Toroama said such content could have a
negative impact on Bougainville’s efforts toward
independence.
He said the “reckless misuse of
artificial intelligence and social media platforms has the
potential to damage the hard-earned trust and mutual
respect” between the two nations.
“This video is not
only false and malicious – it is dangerous,” the ABG leader
said.
“It threatens to undermine the ongoing spirit of
dialogue, peace, and cooperation that both our governments
have worked tirelessly to build.”
Toroama wants the
National Information & Communications Technology
Authority of PNG to find the source of the video.
He
said that while freedom of expression was a democratic
value, it was also a privilege that carries
responsibilities.
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He said freedom of expression should
not be twisted through misinformation.
“These freedoms
must be exercised with respect for the truth. Misusing AI
tools to spread falsehoods not only discredits individuals
but can destabilise entire communities.”
He has urged
the content creators to reflect on the ethical implications
of their digital actions.
Toroama also called on
social media platforms and regulatory bodies to play a
bigger role in stopping the spread of misleading
AI-generated content.
“As we move further into the
digital age, we must develop a collective moral compass to
guide the use of powerful technologies like artificial
intelligence,” he said.
“Truth must remain the
foundation of all communication, both online and
offline.”
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