Now, an altered image of Meloni in lingerie: How Italian PM is a regular target of deepfakes

The menace of deepfakes targeting women remains on the rise. Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, has decried a deepfake image of her sitting on a bed, highlighting the dangers of such AI-generated fake photos.

This is not the first time that Meloni’s nonconsensual sexualised images have spread online. In recent years, women politicians have increasingly been targeted by using their image and superimposing it on an existing sexually explicit picture or video.

Let’s take a closer look.

Meloni denounces deepfake image of her

Italian PM Giorgia Meloni has criticised an AI-generated deepfake image, depicting her in lingerie, after it was widely circulated online.

She wrote on Facebook on Tuesday (May 5), “In recent days, several fake images of me have been circulating, generated using artificial intelligence and passed off as real by some overzealous opponents.

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Meloni reshared a post from someone named Roberto who had apparently posted the image showing her in lingerie, seated on a bed, and commented that she should be "ashamed" of herself.

The image went viral and several users who believed it was genuine condemned the Italian PM.

One user wrote: “That a prime minister should present herself in such a state is truly shameful. Unworthy of the institutional role she holds. She has no sense of shame.”

In her post, Meloni joked, “I must admit that whoever created them, at least in the attached case, has also improved me quite a bit.

“But the fact remains that, just to attack and invent falsehoods, nowadays anything at all is used. The point, however, goes beyond me. Deepfakes are a dangerous tool, because they can deceive, manipulate and strike anyone.”

Describing it as a form of cyberbullying, Italy’s prime minister warned that AI-generated images could mislead and harm individuals.

She added, “I can defend myself. Many others cannot. For this reason, one rule should always apply: verify before believing, and think before sharing. Because today it happens to me, tomorrow it could happen to anyone.”

Meloni frequently targeted by deepfakes

Meloni has been targeted by deepfakes before as well.

In 2024, she took a Sardinian man to court for allegedly uploading her deepfake porn videos online. In October that year, the Italian PM gave evidence by video link from her office in Rome during the trial of Alessio Scurosu.

She sought compensation of €100,000 (roughly Rs. 1.11 crore) in damages from the 40-year-old and his 73-year-old father for the deepfake that was posted on a US porn website in 2020 and viewed millions of times.

Accusing Scurosu of defamation, she said the amount would be donated to an organisation that supports women who have been victims of male violence.

“This was a form of violence against me and I don’t want to let it go because otherwise it sends a message that anyone can do the same thing to other women,” Meloni told the court.

“I insist on asking that the person responsible for this intolerable and very serious act is punished”.

The trial, which has been adjourned several times, is ongoing. In Italy, some defamation cases can be criminal and penalised with a jail term.

If Scurosu is found guilty of defaming Meloni, he could be sentenced to three years in prison, reported The Telegraph. 

Last year, a pornographic website published altered images of Meloni, along with several other well-known Italian women, including the opposition leader Elly Schlein. The scandal triggered outrage in the country, reigniting discussions on misogyny and violence against women.

The pictures, accompanied by vulgar, offensive captions, were lifted from social media or public platforms, then altered and uploaded.

These edited images were shared on a platform with more than 700,000 subscribers.

The Italian police directed the porn site to be shut down. Prosecutors in Rome launched an investigation over alleged charges including the unlawful dissemination of sexually explicit images, defamation and extortion.

Besides Meloni, United States Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and female Dutch politicians have also fallen prey to deepfake porn.

How Italy is tackling deepfakes

Meloni’s far-right government in Italy has made the fight against the risks posed by AI and deepfakes a central focus.

Last September, Italy became the first European Union (EU) country to green-light an expansive law to regulate the use of AI. The legislation includes prison terms for those who misuse the technology to cause harm, including by creating deepfakes. It also restricted children’s access to artificial intelligence.

The Italian government said the legislation was in sync with the EU AI Act and was a landmark step in establishing how AI was developed and used across the country.

With inputs from agencies