Italian Prime Minister Jorja Meloni posted a deepfake photo of herself in underwear on social…

In May 2026, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni took the unusual step of posting a deepfake image of herself to raise awareness. The image depicted her in underwear and was posted to her own social media account with a warning about the dangers of deepfakes.

What happened

Prime Minister Meloni posted the AI-generated image to her Facebook page, along with a statement. She stated that deepfakes are dangerous tools that can deceive, manipulate, and target anyone. She noted that while she could defend herself, many people cannot. She also mentioned that fake photos of her created using AI had been circulating, and some opponents were disguising them as real. She urged people to check information before believing it and think before sharing it, emphasizing that what happened to her could happen to anyone. Italy passed a comprehensive AI regulation law in September of the previous year, including restrictions on high-risk AI, punishment for deepfake photos, and restrictions on AI use for those under 14.