Italian Prime Minister Critiques Porn Site for Offensive Use of Photos

Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s Prime Minister, expressed her outrage about a pornographic website that displayed fake images of her and other notable women, including her sister. These images were accompanied by deeply offensive and sexist captions.

The site, known as Phica, initially featured images of doctors but soon transitioned to include Meloni and several renowned women.

Images of Meloni, a key figure in Italy’s right-wing party, quickly circulated, reaching a wide audience. The site faced severe backlash, leading to its swift closure after administrators accused hundreds of thousands of users of rule violations.

Meloni, who advocates for women’s rights and family values, voiced her discomfort regarding the misuse of her image, indicating it felt like an invasion of privacy.

“I’m exhausted by what has transpired and wish to extend my solidarity to all women who feel insulted and violated by this platform and its users,” Meloni stated in an interview with an Italian newspaper.

She went on to express her disappointment, noting that in 2025, it’s troubling to see people still degrading women’s dignity while hiding behind anonymity online.

Ariana Meloni, Giorgia’s sister, highlighted the influence of a culture driven by clicks, arguing that personal privacy is often overlooked, disregarding the significant achievements of women in their daily lives.

Despite existing revenge pornography laws in Italy, Meloni remarked that these latest violations don’t necessarily stem from personal vendettas. She emphasized the growing need to safeguard data and privacy in a digital age.

The current law, enacted in 2019, imposes penalties of up to six years in prison for distributing sexually explicit images without consent. It remains uncertain if Meloni intends to revise this law or push for new legislation focused on privacy.

This incident isn’t Meloni’s first encounter with such explicit violations. In 2024, she reportedly sued a father-son duo for creating a sexually explicit deepfake of her, seeking damages while committing to donate these funds to a support initiative for women affected by violence.

Deepfakes, which utilize artificial intelligence to create realistic portrayals of real individuals, often blend authentic images with significant alterations to distort reality.

Interestingly, just a week prior to the Phica incident, an Italian Facebook page dedicated to a man who had shared intimate images of a woman—including his own sister—was shut down following overwhelming complaints from law enforcement.