Italian prime minister shares deepfake lingerie photo

Meloni said on social media that the images were fake and likely spread by political opponents in an apparent attempt to turn voters against her.

Meloni wrote on Facebook on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST): “Over the past few days there have been several fake images of me in circulation, generated using artificial intelligence and passed off as real by some overzealous detractors.

“I have to admit, whoever made them… actually improved my appearance quite a bit,” she joked.

“But the fact remains that people are now willing to use absolutely anything to attack and spread falsehoods.”

Meloni, Italy’s first female prime minister, says she also hopes the release of the fake photos would tackle online critics who fell for the hoax and criticized her.

But the Italian leader also spoke about the wider use of deepfake images as a “dangerous tool” designed to harm their victims, who without her prominent profile have little chance to respond.

“The issue is beyond me. 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 must always apply: verify before you believe, and think before you share. Because today it happens to me, tomorrow it can happen to anyone,” said Meloni.

Meloni has been the target of deepfakes before. The Italian prime minister was last year listed as an injured party in the case of a man in Sardinia who was accused last year of creating deepfake pornographic images using her face and posting them online.

She took the unusual step of posting the current images as the European Union investigates tech companies that give users access to AI software that generates fake nude images.

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