Italian PM Georgia Meloni Outraged by Porn Site’s Doctored Images and Sexist Content: Deepfakes and Revenge Porn Spark Renewed Debate on Women’s Rights

Prime Minister Georgia Meloni expressed indignation over a pornographic site that reportedly published manipulated images of herself and other notable women, accompanied by sexist and derogatory comments.

The platform, called Phica—named after the Italian slang term for “vagina” (figa)—was taken down by its administrators on Thursday, following a wave of public condemnation. The site, which boasted hundreds of thousands of subscribers at the time of its closure, attributed the violation of its rules to users.

Subscribers of the adult forum are alleged to have sourced images of women from social media or public sources and then manipulated them for posting along with misogynistic descriptions.

In addition to Prime Minister Meloni, the site is said to have featured images of her sister Arianna, a prominent politician within the Brothers of Italy party, as well as other Italian celebrities and politicians.

Speaking to Corriere della Sera, Meloni stated, “I am appalled by this incident, and I extend my support and empathy to all women who have been denigrated, insulted, and violated in their privacy by the administrators of this forum and its users.”

She further remarked, “It is disheartening to witness that in 2025, there are still individuals who find it acceptable and legitimate to infringe upon a woman’s dignity, hiding behind anonymity or a keyboard.”

In what appears to be a reference to Italy’s current laws on revenge porn, Meloni commented, “It has become evident that this no longer occurs purely out of ‘revenge,’ and the protection of our data and privacy is increasingly vital in our current times.”

Italy does indeed have a law against revenge porn, enacted in 2019, which punishes the illegal distribution of sexually explicit images with up to six years imprisonment.

Arianna Meloni, speaking similarly to Corriere della Sera, attributed the incident to “the pervasive habit of a click-through society, where we invade privacy, offend, peek through windows, ruin lives, and trivialize the significant accomplishments women achieve daily through their work.”

Prime Minister Meloni, who parted ways with her long-term partner in 2023 after he made sexist remarks, has previously advocated for women’s issues, including deepfake pornography and domestic violence.

In 2024, she took legal action against a father and son accused of producing a deepfake video featuring herself. Seeking €100,000 in damages in a civil trial, she pledged to donate any financial winnings to a state fund supporting women affected by violence. Both men have pleaded not guilty. The next hearing is scheduled for September.

At the time, Meloni’s lawyer, Maria Giulia Marongiu, stated that the prime minister aimed to serve as an example for other victims of revenge porn and deepfake porn to come forward against those who defame them.

Deepfakes refer to digitally created and manipulated content that can resemble a real person precisely. On the other hand, doctored images may retain some original elements but have been altered to distort reality.

The Phica scandal has sparked renewed discussions on feminist issues in Italy and comes a week after an Italian Facebook page featuring intimate images of thousands of women—many without their consent—was shut down following public outcry and numerous police complaints.