Italian journalist and author Francesca Barra has reported finding AI-generated nude images of herself on a pornographic website. The discovery has prompted an investigation by Italy’s postal police, adding urgency to growing concerns over digital abuse targeting women.
Barra said on Instagram that she discovered the manipulated photos on SocialMediaGirls.com. This is a site offering sections labelled “AI undress anybody” and “Italian nude VIPs.” She called it “an act of violence and an abuse that scars one’s dignity, reputation and trust.”
The journalist explained that she had not posed for the images, which were created without consent using artificial intelligence. She said the experience made her think of her children and the damage such material could cause to their lives and her reputation. Barra described the incident as “digital violence” and warned that it represented a growing threat to women everywhere.
Italian authorities confirmed that an investigation is underway to identify those responsible for producing and sharing the images. The website, which hosts millions of users worldwide, has been active for years and is known for exploiting female celebrities and influencers.
Several other well-known Italian women, including Chiara Ferragni, Sophia Loren, Elodie, and Maria De Filippi, have also appeared in the site’s AI-generated sections.
Non-consensual use of women’s images and generated images online
The SocialMediaGirls case follows earlier scandals involving online communities such as the Mia Moglie Facebook group and Phica.eu. There, users posted non-consensual images of women, including politicians and journalists. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who was targeted in those earlier cases and of deepfake pornographic videos, called such content “disgusting” and said it amounted to revenge porn.
Centre-left MPs Valeria Campagna, Alessandra Moretti, Alessia Morani, Lia Quartapelle and Simona Malpezzi have all filed complaints about similar websites. Investigators continue to track how such images are created, shared and monetised.
Experts say the use of AI to fabricate nude images marks a dangerous new phase in gender-based violence. Victims are targeted without consent, often to humiliate or silence them.
Francesca Barra said she chose to speak publicly to defend women’s dignity and warn others about the scale of the problem. “This is not only my story,” she wrote. “It’s a danger that concerns everyone.”
Italy’s laws already punish revenge porn, but prosecutors say AI technology now requires broader protection. The government is studying new measures to fight image-based abuse and hold platforms accountable.
