Social media has recently been abuzz over the circulation of a 12-second video portraying the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau. The footage shows a volcanic explosion accompanied by massive bursts of fire, filmed from a boat. The post sparked panic and debate among netizens in the comments section.
Responding to the public concern, the Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) officially issued a clarification. Acting Head of the Geological Agency, Lana Saria, emphasized that the widely circulated video is fake news, or a hoax. Her office urged the public not to easily believe unverified content and to always refer to official channels such as MAGMA Indonesia or PVMBG.
Technical investigation revealed several anomalies in the video. The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) disclosed that the visuals of the mountain in the video do not match the real characteristics of Mount Anak Krakatau. Furthermore, there are strong indications that the footage is a product of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, where the phone screen used in the video is out of sync with the eruption event displayed.
Mount Anak Krakatau Monitoring Officer, Andi Suwardi, added that the actual volcanic activity on the ground differs greatly from what was presented on social media. Based on observation post data, the eruption that occurred in early July 2026 only involved ash plumes reaching a height of about 200 meters, not a massive eruption accompanied by fire bursts as depicted in the manipulated video.
Although the video has been confirmed to be fake, authorities reiterated that Mount Anak Krakatau's status currently remains at Level III (Alert). Therefore, the public, fishermen, and tourists are advised to adhere to the prohibition of activities within a three-kilometer radius from the crater center for mutual safety.
