Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni denounces the circulation of a deepfake photo depicting her posing in bed and wearing lingerie. Multiple outlets report that the image has been shared online as part of what Meloni describes as a political attack, and that she addresses the falsehood publicly rather than leaving it to be handled by others.
Several reports say Meloni takes the unusual step of reposting or sharing the fake image to confront online users who have reacted to it, including critics who allegedly expressed shame or believed the content. In her remarks, she frames deepfakes as a broader threat to the political process and to individuals, arguing they can deceive and manipulate people and target anyone.
Courthouse News notes the issue is not the first time Meloni’s likeness has been involved in similar online controversies. Overall, the coverage agrees that Meloni is warning about the dangers of deepfakes and presenting the specific image as an attempt to influence public opinion through misinformation.
