Giorgia Meloni, the Prime Minister of Italy, has expressed her disapproval regarding the recent dissemination of AI-generated deepfake images featuring her likeness, including one where she appears in lingerie. These images have gained significant traction online.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Meloni remarked, “Recently, numerous fabricated images of myself have been circulating, created with artificial intelligence and misrepresented as genuine by some overly enthusiastic adversaries.”
With a hint of humor, she added, “I must say, the creator certainly enhanced my appearance a bit. However, the reality is that individuals are now resorting to any means necessary to launch attacks and propagate falsehoods.”
Meloni included a specific AI-generated image in her post, which depicted her in lingerie while seated on a bed. This particular fabrication went viral, provoking strong reactions from users who initially believed it to be authentic.
One commenter stated, “It is truly disgraceful for a prime minister to present herself in such a manner. This is unworthy of her official position, and she shows no sense of dignity.”
In her statement, Meloni condemned this behavior as a form of cyberbullying, cautioning that AI-generated imagery poses a growing threat that can mislead and harm individuals.
She emphasized, “This issue transcends my personal situation. Deepfakes represent a perilous tool that can deceive, manipulate, and target anyone. I have the means to defend myself, but many others do not. Therefore, one principle should always be upheld: verify before you believe, and think before you share. What happens to me today could happen to anyone tomorrow.”
The Italian government, led by Meloni, has made addressing the challenges posed by AI and deepfakes a key focus of its agenda.
In September, Italy became the first EU nation to enact a comprehensive law regulating AI usage, which includes penalties for those who utilize such technology for harmful purposes, including creating deepfakes, and imposes restrictions on children’s access to these tools.
The government stated that this legislation, in line with the EU’s significant AI Act, represents a crucial step in determining how artificial intelligence is developed and utilized within the country.
This law was introduced following a scandal involving a pornographic website that published altered images of several prominent Italian women, including Meloni and opposition leader Elly Schlein, sparking widespread outrage.
The manipulated images, taken from social media or public appearances, were altered to include vulgar and misogynistic captions and were distributed on a platform with over 700,000 subscribers. Many of these depictions of female politicians, regardless of their political affiliation, were modified to accentuate specific body parts or suggest sexualized poses.
In response, Italian authorities mandated the shutdown of the website, while prosecutors in Rome initiated an investigation into potential violations, including unlawful distribution of sexually explicit images, defamation, and extortion.
