Italy’s Prime Minister is seeking €100,000 in damages after falling victim to deepfake pornography shared online.
The individuals responsible for creating and disseminating the deepfake pornography videos, a 74-year-old father and his 40-year-old son, are under investigation.
Investigators managed to trace the mobile device used to upload the videos, leading to the suspects. The accused face charges of defamation, punishable by imprisonment under Italian law.
The deepfake videos in question were posted on a US pornographic website in 2022, garnering millions of views over several months. Notably, these videos circulated before Meloni assumed office as prime minister.
Giorgia Meloni is scheduled to testify in a court in Sassari, Sardinia, on July 2nd regarding the case.
If successful in her claim, Meloni intends to donate the €100,000 to a fund supporting women who have experienced male violence, as per her legal team.
Describing the sum as “symbolic,” Maria Giulia Marongiu, Meloni’s lawyer, said the compensation demand aims to encourage women not to hesitate in seeking justice against such abuses of power.
What are deepfakes?
Deepfakes involve digitally superimposing the face of one person onto the body of another in images or videos. In this case, Giorgia Meloni’s likeness was used in explicit videos.
Deepfake technology has become increasingly sophisticated due to advancements in artificial intelligence. Several celebrities, including US popstar Taylor Swift, have been targeted by deepfake creators.
Swift experienced deepfake pornography shared on social media and chatrooms, sparking outrage among fans and critics alike. The explicit images amassed millions of views and likes before being taken down.
These incidents highlight concerns about the misleading nature of deepfakes and their potential to perpetuate “violently misogynist” content.
