In recent days several deepfake photos purporting to show Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have circulated online, including one that depicts her in lingerie. Meloni wrote on Facebook that these images are fake and said some of her "overzealous opponents" are trying to pass them off as real.
Meloni admitted wryly that the person who made the images "even improved my figure." She added: "But the fact is that today people are capable of anything to attack and spread lies." She attached the lingerie AI image to her post.
The prime minister described the photos as cyberbullying and warned that AI-generated images are becoming increasingly dangerous and harmful tools that can mislead people. She said: "The problem goes beyond me. Deepfakes are dangerous tools because they can deceive, manipulate and target anyone. I can protect myself. Many others cannot. That is why one rule must always apply: verify before you believe something, and think before you share something. What is happening to me today can happen to anyone tomorrow."
Addressing the risks posed by artificial intelligence and deepfakes has become a central policy issue for Meloni's government. Italy last September became the first country in the European Union to adopt a comprehensive artificial intelligence regulation, which includes potential prison sentences for those who use the technology to cause harm. The regulation also restricts children's access to certain AI-generated content.
Meloni's case feeds into broader debates in social media and politics about digital trustworthiness, online harassment and AI regulation. Her public post underscores that individual incidents raise wider social and legal challenges.
