Italian PM Demands €100,000 Over Deepfake Porn Scandal
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is pursuing legal action against two individuals accused of digitally inserting her into pornographic videos, a scandal that has rocked the nation. Seeking damages totaling €100,000 ($108,650), Meloni aims to hold the perpetrators accountable for their malicious actions.
A court in Sardinia has summoned Meloni to provide testimony against the accused individuals in July. The defendants face both criminal charges and Meloni's civil suit, with accusations of defamation hanging over their heads.
Allegedly, the two men, a 42-year-old and his 73-year-old father, manipulated videos by superimposing Meloni's face onto that of a porn actress. These explicit videos were subsequently uploaded to an American pornographic website, where they garnered millions of views from users worldwide.
It's worth noting that the creation of these videos predates Meloni's assumption of the prime ministerial office in 2022. The suspects in question were apprehended in 2020 after law enforcement agencies successfully traced the mobile devices used to upload the illicit content.
In light of the legal proceedings, the eldest suspect has expressed a willingness to serve community service as a form of penance for his involvement. A judicial ruling on his request is anticipated in the coming week.
Meloni's legal representative, Maria Giulia Marongiu, emphasized that the €100,000 sought in damages is symbolic. If awarded, Meloni intends to allocate the funds to charities supporting victims of domestic abuse. Marongiu underscored the significance of Meloni's lawsuit as a beacon of empowerment for women who have fallen prey to such egregious abuse of power.
The term 'deepfake' encompasses the creation of highly realistic photos or videos, often through digital manipulation or artificial intelligence, portraying individuals in compromising scenarios. This emerging technology has raised concerns globally, with US intelligence agencies warning of its potential exploitation in influencing elections and facilitating cybercrimes. Last year, the Indian government issued stern warnings to tech companies following public outcry over a wave of deepfake videos featuring prominent actresses and politicians.