Giorgia Meloni denounces deepfake photo as political attack
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · May 5
Giorgia Meloni denounces deepfake photo as political attack
13 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · May 5
In Rome, the Italian premier posted the lingerie-in-bed image on Facebook on Tuesday, alongside an apparent repost by someone named Roberto urging her to be “ashamed.”
She warned that deepfakes can deceive, manipulate and target anyone, saying she could defend herself but many others could not, while it remained unclear whether she would report the case to police.
Meloni also joked the manipulation made her look better. The incident follows Italy’s tougher AI rules and a February church artwork controversy involving her likeness.
Italy's AI law imposes prison time, but can any single nation truly stop anonymous global deepfake crime?
When official accounts spread deepfakes, how can anyone distinguish between political reality and AI-driven fiction?
As deepfake fraud costs billions, are new laws already obsolete against rapidly evolving AI technology?
Italy’s 2025 Deepfake Scandal: Meloni’s Legal Battle and the Fight Against Gendered AI Abuse
Overview
In 2025, non-consensual deepfake pornography of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and other prominent women sparked national outrage, highlighting the growing threat of AI-enabled gender-based abuse. Meloni condemned the attacks as cyberbullying and pursued legal action, while similar cases revealed a systemic problem targeting women in public life. Despite Italy's pioneering 2024 AI law criminalizing malicious deepfakes and mandating oversight, enforcement struggles persist due to cross-border challenges, platform cooperation issues, and limited law enforcement resources. The scandal intensified calls for stronger legal frameworks, technological solutions like watermarking, victim support, public education, and global policy alignment to effectively combat deepfake abuse and protect women's participation in politics.