"Prime Minister in Underwear?"... Italy's Meloni Posts Herself to Warn of Deepfake Dangers

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni publicly released a deepfake image of herself manipulated to appear in her underwear, warning, "Think again before sharing." By voluntarily disclosing a sexually objectified manipulated photo, she aimed to raise awareness about the dangers of deepfakes.

An AI-manipulated image shared by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the 5th (local time). Screenshot from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's social media.

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According to The Guardian, Reuters, and other outlets on the 5th (local time), Prime Minister Meloni posted on her social media a recent AI deepfake image of herself that had been circulating online. The photo shows Meloni sitting on a bed, smiling in her underwear, but it is a manipulated image, not an actual photograph.

She also shared a post from a user who, believing the image to be real, criticized that "it is truly shameful for a prime minister to appear in such a way and she is not fit to hold public office." By doing so, she pointed out the reality that some people accept fake photos as fact.

Prime Minister Meloni joked, "Whoever made it did improve my appearance quite a bit," but emphasized, "This incident shows that any means can be used to attack people and spread false information."

She went on to say, "This is not just my personal issue. Deepfakes are a dangerous tool that can deceive, manipulate, and attack anyone." She stressed, "I can defend myself, but many people cannot."

Prime Minister Meloni added, "The principle that you must verify before believing and think again about trustworthiness before sharing should always apply," and warned, "What happened to me today could happen to anyone tomorrow."

Her post spread rapidly and was viewed millions of times. This statement gained attention as a national leader directly released her own deepfake image to highlight AI ethics issues. Many noted that this case demonstrates the risk of AI-manipulated content spreading in conjunction with political criticism.

Two years ago, Prime Minister Meloni filed a defamation lawsuit against a man accused of creating and distributing pornographic material using her likeness.

Last year, Italy became the first country among European Union (EU) member states to introduce comprehensive legislation regulating AI. The law allows for criminal penalties, including imprisonment, for those who cause harm by illegally distributing content generated or manipulated with AI.

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