Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has spoken out strongly against a pornographic website that used fake, doctored images of her and other prominent women. She said she was "disgusted" by what happened and wants those responsible to face serious consequences.
The website, called Phica, had over 700,000 users and featured altered photos of Meloni, her sister Arianna, and opposition politician Elly Schlein. The site took regular photos from social media and public sources, then altered them to make these women appear in sexual situations, adding crude comments alongside the images. When news of this broke, the website's owners quickly shut it down, claiming people had "misused" their platform.
Meloni didn't mince words about her feelings. "I am disgusted by what has happened," she said, before expressing support for all the women affected by this violation. She found it deeply troubling that in 2025, some people still think it's acceptable to attack women's dignity through sexist abuse whilst hiding behind computer screens.
Police have started investigating after receiving formal complaints from several women, including politicians from the centre-left Democratic Party. The fake images of well-known women were featured in what the site called its "VIP section."
The Prime Minister called for quick justice and warned that even innocent online content can become dangerous in the wrong hands. She emphasised that everyone needs to understand this risk.
This scandal has encouraged dozens of women to file complaints against Phica and similar sites. It follows Meta's recent shutdown of an Italian Facebook group called "My Wife," where men were sharing intimate photos of women without permission.
