Aug 2026· Asiascape Digital Asia· Vol 13, pp. 174-202· 0 citations· 43 references
TL;DR
The study shows that softfakes played a key role in changing Prabowo’s image from a stern figure to someone more relatable, expanding viral activity and division in online discussions.
Abstract
This article explores the impact of softfakes generated using artificial intelligence (
AI
) – softened or idealized images of political figures – on discussions related to Indonesia’s presidential election campaign in 2024. Through a combined analysis of computational text and critical discourse, this paper examines over 140,000 YouTube comments about Prabowo Subianto’s
gemoy
(being cute and adorable) branding strategy. The study shows that softfakes played a key role in changing Prabowo’s image from a stern figure to someone more relatable, expanding viral activity and division in online discussions. In contrast to deepfakes, which are deceptive, softfakes manipulate images in plain sight, in this case to sway voter sentiment, signalling a transition from covert disinformation to a campaign overtly focused on entertainment. Our research enhances prior studies about synthetic media and digital populism, emphasizing the subtle power of visual manipulation, which, despite being obvious, shapes democratic engagement and voter choices.
The 2022 Philippine presidential race was the country's most digitally contested to date, with YouTube serving as a key venue for building, spreading, and challenging political and moral appeals. While scholars have examined official campaign materials, coordinated influencer networks, and disinformation ecosystems, th...
R. Cuario, Daniel Francisco P. Del Rosario, Danielle M. De Guzman et al.· RSF Conference Series Busine...· 0 citations
This study engages in a machine learning analysis of the relationship between valence under
digital messages (positive vs. negative messages), engagement actions (likes and retweets), over
the performance of presidential election contenders during the United States Presidential
Election-2024 on Twitter/X. Using Natural...
Vedant Pandey· International journal of soc...· 0 citations
The 2024 Indonesian Presidential Election shows various communication phenomena. With Generation Z and Millennials comprising the majority of voters, political communication has increasingly shifted toward personal, emotional appeals through social-media figures, making it urgent to understand whether such bonds transl...
Jawahirus Saniah, Ahmad Affan· COMMICAST· 0 citations
This paper analyzes the systemic threat of election-related Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference and proposes a decentralized democratic defense model based on Jean Cloutier’s émirec concept, introducing cognitive friction into digital consumption to foster bottom-up epistemic resilience.
Mauro Marino‐Jiménez, Alice Colombi· Journalism and Media· 0 citations
This study examines the political communication strategies employed by Spanish parties on social media during the 2023 general election campaign. The objective is to identify usage patterns and to assess the equalizing or normalizing role of these platforms, with particular attention to personalization, populism, and u...
V. Fenoll· Communication & Society· 0 citations
This study examines audience responses to “Proteggi I Fatti”, an Italian Facebook campaign developed within the European project
Deconstruct: Deconstructing and Countering Holocaust Distortion via Campaign
,
Education and Training
. The campaign aimed to raise awareness of Holocaust distortion and denial by dis...
Priscilla Dionesalvi, Stefania Manca, G. Minello· International Journal of Dig...· 0 citations
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