A single egg. It is one of the most ordinary objects in any kitchen, so inexpensive and familiar that most people hardly give it a second thought. Yet in South Korea, in the middle of a tense political season, an egg became the symbol of a much larger conflict—one about truth, fear, public money, and the fragile trust between citizens and their government. The story began with a rumor that was absurd on its face but potent in its appeal: the government had supposedly imported a single Brazilian egg for 39,000 won, then sold it to the Korean public for…

It began with a face that many Indonesians knew and trusted. In August 2025, a video clip began racing through social media feeds, showing the then-Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani, speaking before a crowd. Her voice was clear, her gestures familiar, and the words were shocking: “Teachers are a burden to the state.” Within hours, the clip had sparked outrage, disbelief, and heated arguments across platforms. Many people took it at face value, convinced that a senior official had really said something so dismissive of educators. But the video was a deepfake, a highly realistic fake created with artificial intelligence.…