Italy's PM demands justice over deepfake scandal
The Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, has strongly condemned deepfake technology, referring to it as a "form of violence against women." Meloni appeared in court, demanding severe punishment for two men accused of creating and distributing fake pornographic content featuring her online, reports the Daily Mail. "I insist on demanding the punishment of those who are responsible because I consider what they did to be intolerable," said the politician.
Meloni appeared in court via video link and stated: "I insist on demanding the punishment of those who are responsible because I consider what they did to be intolerable." According to the Italian news service Ansa, the Prime Minister emphasized that such actions constitute a form of violence against women and have deeply affected her psyche.
The accused are 40-year-old Alessio Scurosu and his 74-year-old father, Roberto, who live in Sardinia. Prosecutors allege that they are responsible for creating the deepfake material featuring Meloni, which was published on American pornographic sites and watched millions of times.
The material was created in 2020. The Prime Minister had previously filed a defamation lawsuit against the men and is seeking $110,000 in damages, which she intends to donate to support women affected by domestic violence, reports the Daily Mail.
Giorgia Meloni a victim of deepfakes. She appealed to women
Meloni's office stated that the politician not only wants to punish the responsible men but also to send a strong message to all women who may face similar abuse, urging them not to be afraid to report such cases.
During the hearing, the Prime Minister also highlighted the importance of regulations concerning artificial intelligence, which makes the creation of realistic, deceptive content possible.
Her lawyers had previously said that the prime minister's reason for pursuing the case was to 'send a message to women who are victims of this kind of abuse of power not to be afraid to press charges' - reports Daily Mail.
Not only Meloni. Others have also fallen victim to deepfakes
Meloni is not the only public figure who has encountered this issue. In 2018, Natalie Portman became the target of similar materials, and other stars like Scarlett Johansson and Taylor Swift have also fallen victim to widely circulated deepfakes.
Particularly shocking were the cases involving Taylor Swift, whose fake images gained significant views, as well as Emma Watson, who appeared in a deepfake advertisement in March of this year.
Open letter on artificial intelligence regulations
The issue of deepfake technology is becoming an increasingly serious social problem. In response, over 400 experts, celebrities, and activists have signed an open letter calling for regulations on artificial intelligence and restrictions on creating deepfakes.
The letter, titled "Breaking the Deepfake Supply Chain," emphasizes that AI technology poses a threat to society, causing misinformation, abuse, and fraud.
