Old Indonesia Volcano Video Falsely Shared as Recent

Viral TikTok and Social Media Claims

An Indonesian-language TikTok post shared on Saturday, September 12, 2026, featured a video claiming to show active volcanic events at Mount Semeru. Text overlaid on the video stated, “Breaking News. Mount Semeru erupted 29 times in 6 hours. People were prohibited from doing activities within a 5 km radius.” The clip showed a roadside recording of a volcano emitting fiery explosions and spewing a thick wall of ash, accompanied by a voice in Javanese saying, “Don’t panic, don’t panic, don’t be confused.” According to AFP, the video was also shared on X and Facebook with similar claims around the time the real Mount Semeru spewed ash 1,000 metres (3,280 feet) above its peak on September 6.

Actual Volcanic Activity and Official Alert Levels

While the viral video is fake, Indonesia’s Mount Semeru has experienced real volcanic activity during the period. Following the September 6 ash release, authorities raised the alert status to level III—the second-highest level—and advised against any activities within a 13-kilometre (eight-mile) radius, according to the state-run Antara news agency. According to the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, Semeru remained at level III as of September 16. Furthermore, Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

AI Manipulation and Proof of Falsified Footage

Verification efforts by AFP proved that the circulating video does not show a recent eruption. A Google reverse image search traced a similar clip to TikTok on November 19, 2025, posted by an account that frequently shares videos about the volcano with the caption, “Semeru had a major eruption today.” In that original clip, a man speaks in Indonesian, saying, “Semeru eruption on November 19, 2025, at 16.00 past 9 minutes. Stay alert.” An AFP video taken during the November 2025 eruption shows a similar white plume rising into the sky, and Indonesia’s National Disaster Agency reported that at least 300 people were evacuated at the time. Google Maps street imagery of a small shop near Mount Semeru also matches the setting of the clip. However, an analysis of the newly circulating video showed that several visual elements had been added or changed, including fiery explosions absent from the original clip, additional scooters fleeing the volcano, and a Toyota logo altered to an unknown brand. The Hive Moderation detection tool found that the video was 94.2% likely to have been generated using AI. AFP noted that it has debunked more misinformation related to Indonesia’s volcanoes.