Kaviveterue Virere
Emma Theofelus, the Minister of Information and Communication Technology, has stated that her ministry is taking proactive measures to stop the spread of fake videos that appear to be from Namibia’s senior officials and were created through artificial intelligence (AI).
The videos, which have been widely shared on social media, falsely depict the President, Deputy Prime Minister and Prime Minister discussing alleged investment deals.
The minister was responding in Parliament on 21 October 2025 to a question posed by United Democratic Front (UDF) Member of Parliament Nico Somaeb, who raised concern about the alarming rise of manipulated digital content targeting senior government officials. Somaeb asked the minister three key questions.
What steps was the government taking to address and stop the spread of these videos on social media? Whether the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology was aware of the fake AI-generated videos that were circulating on different social media platforms?
Theofelus said the ministry is fully aware of the videos and has taken swift action to curb their spread and mitigate potential public confusion.
“The ministry has placed a fake news banner across all such images and videos to alert the public that the content is fabricated,” she told lawmakers.
She emphasised that this action is a component of the ministry’s larger plan to combat false information and safeguard Namibia’s leadership integrity from improper use of digital technologies.
The videos in question were produced with the use of AI manipulation methods to give the impression that the nation’s senior leaders were having confidential talks regarding foreign investment, according to Theofelus. “These videos are not authentic. They were digitally modified to disseminate false information,” she explained.
The minister added that her ministry has notified the relevant social media platforms about the accounts that are spreading and promoting the videos. A public statement was also released to alert the public to the misleading information and to promote responsible digital media use.
Theofelus said that governments around the world face an increasing issue as deep fake technology, AI-generated material that duplicates the voices and likenesses of actual people, becomes more prevalent. “Malicious actors find it easier to produce convincing fake videos as AI tools become more sophisticated and available,” she said. “Our democracy, public trust, and social stability are seriously threatened by this.”
Her remarks come amid growing concerns about the use of AI-generated disinformation in politics, particularly as elections and important policy choices approach. False information can be used to spread misinformation, influence public opinion, or harm reputations.