Meloni Condemns Deepfake Pornography Targeting Her: "Disgusting... Must Be Severely Punished"

Site Shuts Down Blaming Users
After Deepfake Scandal Involving Giorgia Meloni
Explicit Images of Female Politicians and Celebrities Circulated
Prime Minister Demands Severe Punishment for Those Responsible

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called for severe punishment against the adult website that shared deepfake pornographic images of her.

Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy. Photo by AP Yonhap News

On August 29 (local time), British daily The Guardian and other foreign media reported that deepfake images of Prime Minister Meloni, her sister Arianna, and opposition politician Elly Schlein had recently been uploaded to an Italian adult website. The site's so-called "VIP section" reportedly featured photos not only of female politicians but also of celebrities such as actresses and influencers.

The website in question was launched in 2005 and had been operating for over 20 years. With more than 700,000 registered users, the site shut down after controversy erupted over the deepfake images of Prime Minister Meloni, blaming "the actions of platform users" for the issue. The site was known for allowing users to take images from personal social networking service accounts without consent, then manipulate the images by enlarging certain body parts or placing subjects in explicit poses before sharing them. Some posts were also reported to include content inciting rape. Similar manipulated images have been found not only on this site but also on other adult websites, prompting dozens of women to file complaints.

In an interview with the daily Corriere della Sera, Prime Minister Meloni expressed her outrage, saying, "It is disgusting that such things are happening," and added, "I stand in solidarity and support with all women who have been insulted, slandered, and violated." She continued, "It is appalling that even in 2025, there are people who believe it is normal and acceptable to hide behind anonymity or a keyboard and trample on the dignity of women, hurling sexist and vulgar insults." She emphasized, "Those responsible must be punished with the utmost severity." Prime Minister Meloni also stated, "Even seemingly harmless content can become a terrible weapon in the wrong hands, and everyone should be aware of this."