Italian site shuts down after Giorgia Meloni’s doctored photos shared: 5 things to know

• What happened?

The website carried altered photos of Italian female politicians, actors, and influencers, often taken from public appearances or social media.

The pictures were posted with captions such as “hot politicians”, followed by sexually explicit and violent comments.

• Who spoke out?

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told Corriere della Sera she was “disgusted” by the site, adding: “Those responsible must be punished with the utmost firmness.”

Opposition MEP Alessandra Moretti, who was among those targeted, told the BBC: “Altered images were followed by a flood of obscene comments that harmed my emotional well-being and endangered the safety of many women.”

She added, “Platforms that incite rape and violence must be shut down and banned.”

• Why it shut down?

The closure followed public pressure, including a petition on Change.org that gained nearly 170,000 signatures. Campaigners said the site hosted not only altered public photos but also secretly taken images from changing rooms, salons, and even public bathrooms.

• When and how it unfolded?

The shutdown came days after Facebook removed another Italian group, Mia Moglie (My Wife), where intimate pictures of women were reportedly shared without their knowledge. That case went viral when writer Carolina Capria exposed it online, prompting women to come forward.

• Police response

Italy’s Postal Police confirmed to the BBC that an investigation has been opened into Phica. The site said it had “always blocked and reported” violent content and images of minors, but accepted that it had become something people “wanted to distance themselves from”.

Prime Minister Meloni urged women to report any images shared without their consent, saying: “It is disheartening that in 2025 there are still those who consider it normal to trample on a woman’s dignity, hiding behind anonymity or a keyboard.”

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