‘Verify, think before sharing,’ says Giorgia Meloni after her AI-made image in lingerie goes viral

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday that fake images of her generated by artificial intelligence were circulating online and warned that such false photos could deceive the public and target people who cannot defend themselves. Meloni said in a statement that several fake photos of her had been created with AI and passed off as real by political opponents.

She ⁠posted one such image appearing to show her sitting on a bed in lingerie. The original post included comment that the photo was shameful and unworthy of an Italian prime minister.

“In recent days, several fake images of me have been circulating, generated using artificial intelligence and passed off as real by some overzealous opponents,” Meloni said.

“I must admit that whoever created them … even improved my appearance quite a bit,” she joked. “But the fact remains that, in order to attack and spread falsehoods, people are now willing to use absolutely anything.”

The AI-generated image showing her dressed in lingerie prompted a wave of condemnation from users who believed it to be genuine.

One user wrote, “That a prime minister should present herself in such a state is truly shameful. Unworthy of the institutional role she holds. She has no sense of shame.”

Meloni said the episode showed how “anything at ⁠all” was now being used to attack people and spread falsehoods.

“The point, however, goes beyond me,” the PM said. “Deepfakes are a dangerous tool, because they can deceive, manipulate, and strike anyone. I can ⁠defend myself. Many others cannot.”

Meloni urged people to check the authenticity of online content before accepting or sharing it.

“One rule should always ⁠apply: verify before believing, and think before sharing,” she said.

“Deepfakes are a dangerous tool, because they can deceive, manipulate and target anyone. I can defend myself. Many others cannot. For this reason, one rule should always apply: verify before believing, and think before sharing. Because today it happens to me, tomorrow it could happen to anyone.”

Meloni launched a libel suit two years ago against ⁠a man from Sardinia who is accused of making deepfake pornographic images using her face and posting them online. The case continues.

The fight against the risks posed by AI and deepfakes has become a central plank of the agenda of Meloni’s far-right government.

Last September, Italy became the first EU country to approve a comprehensive law regulating the use of AI, introducing prison terms for those who deploy the technology to cause harm — including the creation of deepfakes — and placing limits on children’s access.

The law followed a scandal over a pornographic website that published doctored images of prominent Italian women, including Meloni and the opposition leader Elly Schlein, which triggered outrage in Italy.

The images, lifted from social media or public appearances and altered with vulgar, sexist captions, were shared on a platform with more than 700,000 subscribers. Many showed female politicians across party lines, manipulated to emphasise body parts or imply sexualised poses.