Meta has shut down the Mia Moglie Facebook group where Italian men shared intimate photos of women without their consent, following widespread protests and media attention.
The group, named Mia Moglie (“My Wife”), had nearly 32,000 members before being removed earlier this week. It launched in 2019 but only became active in May. According to Corriere della Sera, the page was openly visible and contained photographs of women in everyday situations – sleeping, shopping, sunbathing – many taken without their knowledge, often showing them in their underwear.
Abuse and misogyny
Beneath the photos, thousands of misogynistic and violent comments appeared, with some users threatening sexual assault. Writer Carolina Capria drew attention to the page on Instagram, describing how she felt “nauseous” and “scared” after seeing the content.
Her appeal not to remain silent was echoed by activist group No Justice No Peace Italy. It said on Instagram “This is a blatant form of abuse, non-consensual pornography, and systemic misogyny… Anyone who participates in this outrage is complicit in a crime.”
The protests prompted Meta to act. A spokesperson confirmed the group was removed for “violating our policies against the sexual exploitation of adults.” Italy’s postal police have also opened an investigation.
High-Profile Members
When group members realised they had been exposed, they began sharing links to Telegram channels where they intended to continue. According to Corriere della Sera, the group’s participants included “professionals, entrepreneurs, public officials, mayoral candidates, doctors, and journalists.”
The names of those involved are expected to be passed to prosecutors.
Political Reactions
“This idea of toxic masculinity must be fought, and we must all take action: civil society and even politicians,” said Fiorella Zabatta, spokesperson for Europa Verde and MP with the Green and Left Alliance (AVS).
Roberta Mori, of the opposition Democratic Party (PD), added that the case was “further evidence of structural virtual violence rooted in the same patriarchal culture of domination” that continues to harm women and girls.
A Wider Problem
The scandal has drawn comparisons with the case of Gisèle Pelicot in France. Pelicot was covertly drugged and raped by her husband and dozens of others for over a decade. Her abuse began with a similar online group.
Italy introduced Article 612-ter of the Criminal Code in 2019, making it a crime to share sexually explicit images without consent. The crime is punishable by up to six years in prison and fines of €5,000 to €15,000. Yet experts warn hundreds of such groups continue to thrive, particularly on Telegram, often involving so-called revenge porn.
