Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has taken legal action against a father and son accused of producing and disseminating deepfake pornographic videos featuring her, which were subsequently shared online.
The 40-year-old man and his 73-year-old father are facing trial for defamation in a groundbreaking civil case in Sardinia, where they are alleged to have superimposed Italian PM Meloni’s face onto the bodies of adult film actresses.
Law enforcement authorities identified the accused father and son behind the videos through a digital trail left by the smartphones used to upload the content to an American pornographic website.
Scheduled for July, the trial has garnered significant attention, with Meloni seeking compensation of €100,000 (£85,000), which she intends to donate to a fund supporting victims of domestic violence if successful. This gesture aims to encourage other women to come forward and pursue legal action in cases of online abuse.
Deepfake technology, which creates realistic-looking videos, images, or audio clips depicting individuals in fabricated scenarios, has become a growing concern globally.
In this instance, Meloni’s legal team asserts that the deepfake videos were uploaded before her appointment as Prime Minister in 2022. The indictment alleges that the videos were circulated widely on a pornographic website in the United States, garnering millions of views over several months.
The legal proceedings highlight the broader issue of online abuse and the potential ramifications of deepfake technology.
Meloni’s decision to pursue compensation serves as a symbolic statement against such abuse of power and aims to empower other victims to seek justice.
Deepfakes, driven by artificial intelligence, pose significant challenges in combating misinformation and protecting individuals’ privacy and reputation.
